In Critical Rural Theory: A Decade of Influence on Rural Education Research author Wendy Pfrenger (Dept. of Higher Education, University of Mississippi Division of Outreach) examines both the key elements and influences of Critical Rural Theory in rural education and research.

In Unlikely Alliances in Action: Balancing Alignment and Autonomy in Rural-Urban Water Conflicts, Sophia Borgias (Public Service, Boise State University), Kate Berry (Geography, University of Nevada-Reno), and Dalten Fox (Arts and Sciences, University of South Alabama) emphasize the positive impact of “unlikely alliances” arising from efforts to tackle critical environmental issues. The authors employ a “place-based and historically embedded” approach to explore the internal dynamics of alliances among groups that have traditionally been in opposition.

In ‘We Are Here Our Hearts Are There’: Rurality, Belonging And Walking Together, Henna Asikainen (independent artist) and Ruth McAreavey (Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, UK) present their findings from a series of collective walks taken with diverse groups of migrants to encourage a greater sense of belonging in rural spaces.

In Navigating Legal Geographies, Ann M. Eisenberg (West Virginia University Law) summarizes the aims and objectives of law and rurality scholarship as opposed to legal geography scholarship to identify the underlying themes of each and build an understanding of how these two frameworks might interact with each other.

In Eliminating Stereotypes: Villages as Desirable Spaces for Partying among Spanish Youth, Laura Pavón-Benítez, Nuria Romo-Avilés (both Women and Gender Studies, University of Granada, Spain), José Manuel Álvarez-Montoya (Social Anthropology, Basic Psychology and Public Health, University of Pablo de Olavide Sevilla, Spain), and Penélope Sánchez-González (Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Granada, Spain) contrast the discourse and assumptions that young people have regarding sociocultural opportunities for social life  in Spanish villages, specifically leisure activities in the form of partying and local festivals.

In Rural Development in the Digital Age: Exploring Information and Communication Technology through Social Inclusion, John J. Green (Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University) addresses the Rural Sociological Society as President of the organization to encourage research into how information and communication technologies (ICTs) might foster social inclusion at the local and regional level, especially for often-overlooked places.

In Law in Place: Reflections on Rural and Urban Legal Paradigms, Nestor M. Davidson (Urban Law Center, Fordham) and Alan R. Romero (Rural Law Center, University of Wyoming) reflect on the ways in which rural and urban settings shape the law and its application. The authors draw from their own experiences, approaching legal research as scholars and directors of their respective centers.

In Do Rural Places Matter?, Stephen Clowney (University of Arkansas Law School) explores various arguments in support of continued investment in rural places. Clowney questions the strength of these arguments but ultimately endorses renewed investment in rural spaces by proposing a new approach to addressing the challenges facing rural communities.

In Adapting to Water Restrictions: Intensive Versus Extensive Adaptation Over Time Differentiated by Water Right Seniority, Dietrich Earnhart (Economics, University of Kansas) and Nathan P. Hendricks (Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University) explore the adaptations farmers have had to make to accommodate groundwater use restrictions.