Rural People and Communities in the 21st Century: Resilience and Transformation - Softcover

Brown, Prof David L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0745641288 ISBN 13: 9780745641287

Publisher: Polity, 2011

Synopsis

Rural people and communities continue to play important social, economic and environmental roles at a time in which societies are rapidly urbanizing, and the identities of local places are increasingly subsumed by flows of people, information and economic activity across global spaces. However, while the organization of rural life has been fundamentally transformed by institutional and social changes that have occurred since the mid-twentieth century, rural people and communities have proved resilient in the face of these transformations.

This book examines the causes and consequences of major social and economic changes affecting rural communities and populations during the first decades of the twenty-first century, and explores policies developed to ameliorate problems or enhance opportunities. Primarily focused on the U.S. context, while also providing international comparative discussion, the book is organized into five sections each of which explores both socio-demographic and political economic aspects of rural transformation. It features an accessible and up-to-date blend of theory and empirical analysis, with each chapter's discussion grounded in real-life situations through the use of empirical case-study materials.

Rural People and Communities in the 21st Century is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in rural sociology, community sociology, rural and/or population geography, community development, and population studies.

About this title

About the Author

David L. Brown is Professor and Chair of DevelopmentSociology, and co-director of the Community and RegionalDevelopment Institute at Cornell University.
Kai A. Schafft is an Associate Professor of Education atPennsylvania State University.

From the Back Cover

Rural people and communities continue to play important social,economic and environmental roles at a time in which societies arerapidly urbanizing, and the identities of local places areincreasingly subsumed by flows of people, information and economicactivity across global spaces. However, while the organization ofrural life has been fundamentally transformed by institutional andsocial changes that have occurred since the mid-twentieth century,rural people and communities have proved resilient in the face ofthese transformations.

This book examines the causes and consequences of major social andeconomic changes affecting rural communities and populations duringthe first decades of the twenty-first century, and explorespolicies developed to ameliorate problems or enhance opportunities.Primarily focused on the U.S. context, while also providinginternational comparative discussion, the book is organized intofive sections each of which explores both socio-demographic andpolitical economic aspects of rural transformation. It features anaccessible and up-to-date blend of theory and empirical analysis,with each chapter’s discussion grounded in real-lifesituations through the use of empirical case-study materials.

Rural People and Communities in the 21st Century is intendedfor advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in rural sociology,community sociology, rural and/or population geography, communitydevelopment, and population studies.

Edition details

• Publisher: Polity
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0745641288
• ISBN 13: 9780745641287
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272