Roundup: May 10, 2024
A regular feature of our growing online journal, The Rural Review, these roundup posts collect notable recent research, analysis, and related rural news and commentary. Feel free to send suggestions for future collections to us here. And, more details on other opportunities to contribute to the Rural Review can be found here.
Recent Publications
In Southeast Alaskans Want Food Sovereignty and Reimagined Rural Futures, published in Society & Natural Resources, researchers Hailey Wilmer (USDA-ARS Range Sheep Production Efficiency Unit, ID), Abigail R. Kaminski, Kendra Wendel, Lee K. Cerveny, Nicole Grewe, J. Ryan Bellmore, Kellen Nelson (all U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station), Tracy Hruska (Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce, OR), and Chanda L. Meek (Political Science, University of Alaska-Fairbanks) use thematic analysis of public testimonies to better understand local concerns and aspirations for management of the nation’s largest national forest, the Tongass, located in Southeast Alaska.
Marco Arlotti (Economics and Social Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Italy) published Older People and Care Networks in Rural Areas: An Exploratory Study in Italy in Sociologia Ruralis focusing on the care networks available to elderly residents of three rural communities in light of Europe’s significant socio-demographic and socioeconomic changes. The article identifies the heightened impact the combination of population ageing and the de-structuring of family networks have in rural areas where changes have occurred more rapidly and with greater intensity than in urban counterparts.
The American Journal of Agricultural Economics published a study by Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr. (Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University), Jianhui Liu, and Bachir Kassas (both Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida) on the impact the projected decline in college student enrollment might have on the agricultural and applied economics profession, academic departments, and universities across the US. The Looming Demographic Cliff: A Wake-up Call for the Agricultural and Applied Economics Profession discusses the main factors leading to the enrollment declines and potential strategies for curbing negative impacts.
News & Commentary
KFF Health News reported on opioid settlement money being used to cover salaries for county health directors and emergency medical services staff rather than to build new treatment, recovery, and prevention services intended to address the ongoing addiction crisis. This is especially true in rural areas where local officials are trying to stretch tight budgets.
An article in The Economist explored the consequences of the country’s nationwide population decline, noting that rural communities—some of America’s fastest-shrinking places over the last few decades—are particularly vulnerable due to the fact that Americans relocate far more frequently than do citizens of countries facing similar population decline.
Hoarding disorder, a popular subject of reality television programs, is a complex challenge for all those affected, but people living in rural areas face additional burdens when it comes to receiving treatment. An article in Rural Health Information Hub explored the “unseen” nature of the disorder in rural environments where plenty of space can mask the problem.
E&E News reported on how despite initial hopes that federally funded electric vehicle charging stations might stimulate rural economies by drawing drivers to rural downtowns, the convenience of ready access to highways and 24/7 availability may mean that traditional sellers of fossil fuels may see the greatest boost.
Events & Recordings
The Rural Sociology Society announced a new interdisciplinary research interest group drawing on law and sociology, the Rural Law and Justice RIG. The RIG is committed to the expansion and transmission of knowledge about how justice systems are experienced and the range of legal issues that arise in rural communities. Two panels, one discussing Ann Eisenberg’s forthcoming Reviving Rural America: Toward Policies for Resilience (Cambridge UP, 2024) and the other about rural lawyers, rural legal markets, and access to justice are set for the annual meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, on July 24-28, 2024 and the RIG is inviting additional abstracts/papers. Register here. This RIG is led by friends of our Project, including Lisa Pruitt, Ann Eisenberg, Loka Ashwood, and many more, including the Project’s co-creator, Jessica Shoemaker.
The Chronicle of Higher Education posted a video entitled “What Counts as a Rural College,” as part of their yearlong visual series highlighting the challenges students from underrepresented and underserved communities face, including those from rural areas. Citing the disparity between the educational achievement of young adults in rural and urban or suburban areas, this 3-minute video explores what exactly makes a college rural. Watch here.
