Rural Sociology Commons^™

Beginning Teachers Are More Common In Rural, High-Poverty, And Racially Diverse Schools, Douglas J. Gagnon, Marybeth J. Mattingly

Carsey Publications

This brief considers whether the concentration of beginning teachers in a district is associated with the district's poverty rate, racial composition, or urbanicity. Authors Douglas Gagnon and Marybeth Mattingly report that poor communities have moderately higher percentages of beginning teachers than communities with lower poverty rates and that a higher concentration of minority students in a district is associated with a higher percentage of beginning teachers. Large cities, remote towns, and rural districts have higher percentages of beginning teachers than midsized-small cities, suburbs, and fringe-distant town districts. The combined impact of poverty, race, and urbanicity has a substantial effect on …

Browning, Jimmy D. (Fa 157), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scan of paper (Click on “Additional Files” below) for Folklife Archives Project 157. This collection includes cassette tapes of interviews with eight women used as research for Jimmy D. Browning’s paper “A Tie That Binds: Contemporary Funeral Foodways In A Rural, Central Kentucky Community.” Two copies of the paper are also included in the collection.

Quality Of Life In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: Perceptions Of Well-Being And Church Life: 2012 Nebraska Rural Poll Results: A Research Report, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, Philip Schwadel

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Nebraska’s unemployment rate has been one of the lowest in the nation in recent years. The agricultural economy has also been strong with record levels of farm income in 2011. Given the challenges and uncertainties of recent years, how do rural Nebraskans believe they are doing and how do they view their future? Have these views changed over the past seventeen years? How satisfied are they with various items that influence their well-being? Most rural Nebraskans have also reported high satisfaction levels with their religion/spirituality in previous polls. How often do they attend church? How do they view their church? …

Understanding Child Abuse In Rural And Urban America: Risk Factors And Maltreatment Substantiation, Wendy A. Walsh, Marybeth J. Mattingly

Carsey Publications

Using a large national sample of child maltreatment reports, this brief compares the outcomes of child maltreatment cases in rural versus urban places and identifies the characteristics associated with substantiation. Child abuse cases substantiated in rural and urban areas share many caregiver risk factors, such as drug and alcohol abuse, and many family stressors. Substantiation is equally likely across income levels; approximately one-fourth of cases in each income level are substantiated. However, when place is taken into account, a greater share (36 percent) of higher-income families (that is, families with incomes greater than 200 percent of the federal poverty level) …

Reversing The Brain Drain, Milan Wall

Heartland Center for Leadership Development Materials

Reversing the Brain Drain, presentation slides.

Includes a summary of demographic research conducted by Ben Winchester of the University of Minnesota, including information about the "newcomer trend." Also covers Buffalo Commons research conducted by Randy Cantrell or the University of Nebraska.

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations: Hazards, Environmental And Health Risks As The Latent Products Of Late Modernity, Bryan R. Clarey

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

CAFOs raise tens of thousands of animals in confined cages and feedlots, feed them high calorie diets, and ship them to slaughter in record time. These factory farms (as they are sometimes called) devastate neighboring environments with the releases of toxic methane gas and animal waste. Progress in modernized agricultural production has enabled us to feed the growing population but unintended consequences for human health and neighboring communities are happening. This study examines environmental and human health impacts of CAFOs on Central Mississippi residents. Through analyses of existing studies and data and telephone surveys, the objectives will be met. Risk …

Utilizing Community Resources To Reduce The Presence Of Type 2 Diabetes In Rural Youth, Antonia S. Mead, M. C. Nagy, Stephen Nagy

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to implement a program designed to promote diabetes prevention activities among preadolescents in a rural southern setting using a day camp intervention. Participants in the study were eleven youth from a rural Alabama county who participated in a week-long half-day camp administered by local and community volunteers. Change scores were used to compare pre- to post- to follow-up measures for camp participant responses. Program results consistently demonstrated that the day camp was theoretically sound and that program activities positively impacted behavioral antecedents. This study demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a diabetes prevention day camp …

Coos County Teens’ Family Relationships, Corinna J. Tucker, Desiree Wiesen-Martin

Carsey Publications

This fact sheet examines Coos County, New Hampshire teens’ perceptions of their family relationship experiences using data from the Coos Youth Study collected in 2011 from 418 eleventh graders in all Coos County public schools. Authors Corinna Jenkins Tucker and Desiree Wiesen-Martin report that Coos older adolescents feel close to their parents and siblings but also argue with them. A small group of youths report perpetrating violence on a family member.

An Examination Of Perceived Stress Levels And Coping Styles Among Rural Law Enforcement Officers, Marcos Luis Misis

Dissertations

Policing is a very stressful job. Despite the extensive body of research on police stress, the majority of studies have focused solely on officers within urban police departments. Research on stress within rural law enforcement departments is virtually non-existent even though the majority of police agencies in America serve towns and areas under 50,000 residents.

This study had four main goals: (1) to examine how work-related stress affects the levels of perceived stress, anxiety, and depression for rural law enforcement officers; (2) to explore the specific stressors affecting rural law enforcement officers; (3) to investigate how rural law enforcement officers …

Southwest Nebraska Community Builders, Graduate Reunion Meeting, May 1, 2012, Craig Schroeder

Heartland Center for Leadership Development Materials

Introduction:

2012 marks 20 years since Dr. Bob Manley brought Community Builder to Southwest Nebraska, as the region emerged from the devastation of the 1980's Ag Crisis. On May 1st, a group of former participants from communities through out the region came together to reflect on the impact Community Builders had on them personally, and on their communities and the region overall. Based upon this reflection it was unanimously determine that a new generation of emerging leaders would greatly benefit from Community Builders. The group then went through the process of evaluating what had been most valuable in the original …

Influences Of Farming Background On Farm Women’S Employment Motivations, Alexis Swendener

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

An important change in the dynamics of family farming is the financial difficulties they have encountered and the resulting solution of sending a family member to earn a wage in off-farm employment. This study utilizes survey data from Washington family farm women to explore how they navigate their unique social context concerning the decision and reasons they choose to work off-farm. In particular, I examine whether women who grew upon a farm or have spent a large percentage of their lives on farms are more or less likely to work off-farm. An identity theory approach is utilized to hypothesize that …

A Comparison Of Metro And Nonmetro Incomes In A Twenty-First Century Economy, Don E. Albrecht

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Recent developments in information and communication technology have reduced the relevance of location and created optimism that the historic economic advantages of metro areas relative to nonmetro areas may be diminished. This manuscript utilized data from the 2009 Current Population Survey to compare the incomes of the residents of metro compared with nonmetro counties. It was found that nonmetro incomes remain significantly lower than metro incomes even when considering the effects of intervening variables. Metro/nonmetro income differences were especially pronounced among persons with advanced educations and those employed in high-pay service industries. Consequently, many people who choose to live in …

Mapping Food Insecurity And Food Sources In New Hampshire Cities And Towns, Barbara Wauchope, Sally Ward

Carsey Publications

Using a series of detailed New Hampshire maps, this brief presents a geographic picture of the towns and cities at risk for food insecurity as well as the food resources available across the state. By detailing places with high food insecurity risk and comparing them to places where food is available, these maps show areas of unmet need. This information will enable organizations partnering with New Hampshire Hunger Solutions to identify where initiatives addressing food insecurity and hunger could have the greatest potential impact.

Forest Views: Northeast Oregon Survey Looks At Community And Environment, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Joel N. Hartter, Forrest Stevens, Russell G. Congalton, Mark J. Ducey, Michael Campbell, Daniel Maynard, Michael Staunton

Carsey Publications

This brief reports on a survey conducted in fall 2011 as one component of the ongoing Communities and Forests in Oregon (CAFOR) project. The CAFOR project focuses on the people and landscapes of three counties in northeast Oregon (Baker, Union, and Wallowa), where landscapes and communities are changing in interconnected ways.

Why Are Cities The Only Place For Dreams? Outmigration Of Youths From Rural Uttarakhand, Peter Grunawalt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Outmigration of rural youth from the hill districts of Uttarakhand has happened since time immemorial. However, within the past decade it has appeared as a frontline issue. This is evidenced by the massive increase in government and NGO rural livelihood development schemes directly and indirectly targeting outmigration throughout the state. This study investigates migration from the mostly rural districts of Uttarakhand to the urban centers of the plains, namely Dehradun and Delhi. It focuses on the prospective livelihood of young adults. Questions addressed in the study; (1) What are the different factors which influence migration of youths? (2) What are …

Addiction In Alaska: How Alcohol Abuse Is Impacting Community Members In Native Villages Throughout Rural Alaska, Cristina Casillo

Capstone Collection

Across rural Alaska are over 200 Alaska Native villages so isolated, they are only accessible by airplane, boat, and snowmachine. These villages strive to keep their Native culture alive and rich, but continue to struggle against Western influences. Introduced to Alaska Natives by European and Russian explorers in the 1700s, this paper examines how alcohol addiction is affecting community members throughout villages in rural Alaska. The research was conducted in two Iñupiaq Eskimo villages, Point Hope and Selawik, both located above the Arctic Circle in rural Alaska. Drawing from three years of personal observations and a series of interviews, this …

Cambiar El Negocio De La Finca: Un Perfil Del Agroturismo En La Provincia De Herrera, Julianne Gagnon

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 2008, Panama formulated a long-term tourism plan for the country, and agritourism was a main element that was being introduced. There are requirements and qualifications for a farm to be considered an agritourism farm by the Panamanian government and these farms are increasing in number each year. A farm must be accredited by both the Ministerio de Desarrollo Agropecuario (MIDA), which evaluates the agricultural practices for “buenas practicas,” and by the Autoridad de Turismo de Panama, which determines if the farm’s infrastructure is compatible with visitors. Since it is such a new form of tourism in Panama it is …

Do No Harm: Perceptions Of Short-Term Health Camps In Nepal, Dena Seabrook

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Short-term health camps are a growing form of delivering health care services to needy populations. Often these camps, usually lasting around 2 weeks, are led by I/NGOs in developing nations like Nepal and are staffed with volunteers from the Global North. These camps are largely ungoverned, and there are no evaluative techniques in place to monitor the effectiveness of the work done, raising concerns about the unintended consequences of short-term health camps camps. Nepal is particularly vulnerable to this issue because of the vast number of I/NGOs currently operating within its boundaries.

This research sought to expand the conversation surrounding …

The Effect Of Climate Change On Mongolian Herding Communities: Investigating The Current Prevalence Of Ecomigration And Community Perceptions Of And Responses To Migration In The Countryside, Rachael Diniega

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The livelihoods of Mongolian herders depend on rangeland conditions, which are being threatened by land degradation and climate change. These changes may cause some Mongolian herders to move to a different land. Thus, the prevalence of ecomigration today and the perceptions and responses of herding communities to migrants were examined to understand ways government could form adaptation policy to climate change in the future. Interviews were conducted with both migrant and host herders as well as government officials in Mungunmorit, Tov and Delgerkhan, Khentii, including the state reserve Herlen Bayan-Olaang. A survey was used to evaluate the prevalence of ecomigration …

Curative Care As The Access Point To Rural Social Transformation A Case Study Of The Comprehensive Rural Health Project, Nancy Liu

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Health inequities based on geographic differences and between rural and urban populations in modern India demonstrate the stark differences in health access and community development throughout the country. More than 70% of the Indian population lives in rural areas, and yet a greater proportion of health care spending is devoted to urban populations. In 2004-5, 29.2% of both central and state public expenditures were allocated to urban allopathic services while 11.8% went to rural allopathic services (Balarajan, Selvaraj, and Subramanian 2011, 508). There are more than twice as many government beds in urban than in rural areas and geographic distribution …

The Long And Winding Road: An Experiential Study Of Mongolian Transit, Tommy Holmberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of my ISP was to partake in an experiential study of the Mongolian transit system. In order to do this, I opted to travel the countryside by bus for two weeks. Portions of this paper provide a narrative account of my travels and details the intricacies of countryside transit. While on the road, I also tracked the prices of various items throughout the country and here provide information as to their transport-related fluctuations. In one chapter, I provide projected data about an improved road system to replace Mongolia’s current setup, using the specifics of an American highway to …

Confronting Agrarian Crisis And Deconstructing Farmer Debt: The Story Of Sulthanpur Village, Andhra Pradesh, Erica Dejong

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In a climate of globalized politics and neoliberal economics, it can be difficult to isolate the impacts of agricultural and economic policy on the lives of the rural poor in India. Hidden behind a veil of economic growth, pro urban, and pro industry governments, the stories of small and marginal farmers have been overlooked in the name of different development priorities. This study endeavors to put the agrarian poor back into the scholarship spotlight by deconstructing livelihood crises and farmer debt in Sulthanpur Village, Andhra Pradesh. This effort is important because although Andhra Pradesh has the highest rate of farmer …

Visibilización De La Población Rural En Villa La Angostura Después De La Erupción Del Volcán Puyehue, Claire Henkel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El desarrollo de la población rural en Villa la Angostura, una ciudad en la provincia de Neuquen en Argentina cambió bastante después de la erupción volcánica de Puyehue Chileno en el Cordón Caulle. La comunidad rural en dicha región, que consiste de familias mapuches y criollos, ha sufrido décadas de ser perjudicadas por el Estado y el Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi. Este mal trato junto con el crecimiento de la economía turístico que genera la ciudad había puesto las poblaciones rurales en un estado aislado e invisible con poco acceso a recursos para desarrollar. Las vidas y oportunidades de estas …

Demographic Change In The Northern Forest, Kenneth M. Johnson, Susan I. Stewart, Miranda H. Mockrin

Carsey Publications

This brief examines the population redistribution in the Northern Forest, which includes thirty-four counties scattered across northern and central Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Authors Ken Johnson, Susan Stewart, and Miranda Mockrin report that the population of the Northern Forest grew modestly between 2000 and 2010, and the population gains were greatest in recreational areas and least in manufacturing areas. Racial and ethnic diversity is also growing in the Northern Forest, and the population is getting older due to aging in place among current residents and net outmigration among younger populations.

The Local Agricultural Community Exchange: Outcomes And Lessons Learned From A Public-Private Initiative To Revitalize A Downtown Community, Michele Cranwell Schmidt

Carsey Publications

This brief describes a revitalization project in Barre, Vermont, led by a public-private partnership involving the Agricultural Community Exchange, the Central Vermont Community Action Council, and the private businesses that operated out of the storefront. The Nancy Nye Fellowship, through the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire, supported the evaluation of the project from 2007 to 2010. After four years of operation, the market, café, and Gallery closed due to economic hardship. Author Michele Schmidt, the 2008 recipient of the Nancy Nye Fellowship, examines the impact the initiative had on community revitalization and economic development, and she cites …

Rural Demographic Change In The New Century: Slower Growth, Increased Diversity, Kenneth M. Johnson

Carsey Publications

This brief examines rural demographic trends in the first decade of the twenty-first century using newly available data from the 2010 Census. The rural population grew by just 2.2 million between 2000 and 2010—a gain barely half as great as that during the 1990s. Population growth was particularly slow in farming and mining counties and sharply reduced in rural manufacturing counties. Rural population gains were largest in high-amenity counties and just beyond the metropolitan fringe. Diversity accelerated in rural America, with racial and ethnic minorities accounting for 83 percent of rural population growth between 2000 and 2010.

The Influence Of Cognitive-Perceptual Variables On Patterns Of Change Over Time In Rural Midlife And Older Women's Healthy Eating, Bernice C. Yates, Carol H. Pullen, Jonathan Bruce Santo, Linda Boeckner, Patricia A. Hageman, Paul J. Dizona, Susan Noble Walker

Psychology Faculty Publications

Although studies demonstrate that dietary interventions for healthy adults can result in beneficial dietary changes, few studies examine when and how people change in response to these interventions, particularly in rural populations. The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of change over time in healthy eating behaviors in midlife and older women in response to a one-year health-promoting intervention, and to examine what predictors (perceived benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and family support for healthy eating) influence the changes during the intervention and follow-up. Data for this secondary analysis were from the Wellness for Women community-based trial. Women (N ¼ …

Scarborough, John Arne, 1916-1995 (Fa 50), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 50. “Growing Up in Blue Springs, Alabama” Lecture by Dr. John A. Scarborough to Lynwood Montell’s class on rural adolescence at Western Kentucky University. Includes a copy of Scarborough’s obituary.

The Place To Be

Publications and Exhibits

Public life brings us together in common activity: cheering on the school sports team, enjoying Sunday dinner at a favorite restaurant, shopping at a local store. In these public spaces we conduct business, swap recipes, discuss issues of the day, relax with friends, and welcome newcomers to town. Public life knits together the diverse elements of a community and fosters a sense of civic responsibility. But longer job commutes, greater popularity of home entertainment, and online shopping mean more time spent privately and fewer opportunities to get together. To retain vitality, communities must continually nurture their traditional gathering places and …

Nebraska Risk And Protective Factor Student Survey Results For 2012. Profile Report: State Of Nebraska, Bureau Of Sociological Research

Nebraska Student Health and Risk Prevention Surveillance System (SHARP)

No abstract provided.