Overview
The vastness and isolation of the American West forged a dependence on scarce natural resources--especially water, forests, fish, and minerals. The small towns clustered near these assets were often self-sufficient and culturally distinct. By 1941, mass media, as well as improved transportation and infrastructure, propelled these sequestered settlements into the mass society era. Today, the internet is shaping another revolution, and it promises both obstacles and opportunity. Some formerly prosperous communities struggle to survive, while others attempt to cope with unprecedented growth.Seeking to understand the impact of a global society on western small towns, the author, director of the Western Rural Development Center at Utah State University, conducted strategic planning roundtables in thirteen states. The gatherings brought three major concerns to the surface: sustaining natural resources, creating vibrant rural economies, and enhancing educational and employment prospects. Rethinking Rural summarizes characteristics of the isolation, mass society, and global society eras, provides an overview of western environmental history, and explores the significant challenges identified during the forum discussions. More importantly, it offers guidance to community leaders, policy makers, and scholars seeking ways to address poverty, increasing inequality, and shifting demographics, as well as resource management and conservation issues.
Full Product Details
Author: Don E. Albrecht
Publisher: Washington State University Press
Imprint: Washington State University Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 1.40cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.386kg
ISBN: 9780874223194
ISBN 10: 0874223199
Pages: 238
Publication Date: 19 May 2014
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Temporarily unavailable
The supplier advises that this item is temporarily unavailable. It will be ordered for you and placed on backorder. Once it does come back in stock, we will ship it out to you.
Reviews
[Rethinking Rural] tells the story of the West in a concise and compelling way, leading the reader from one era to the next, making a strong argument for new strategies in the current Global Society era. --Lorie Higgins, Ph.D., Extension Specialist and Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology at the University of Idaho [Albrecht] eloquently and concisely guides readers in revisiting the American West. I would enjoy using this book as a doctoral seminar text. --Contemporary Rural Social Work Rich [in] information for policy debates, economic research, and recommendations for leadership in so many small towns and rural areas. --Contemporary Rural Social Work
""[Rethinking Rural] tells the story of the West in a concise and compelling way, leading the reader from one era to the next, making a strong argument for new strategies in the current Global Society era."" --Lorie Higgins, Ph.D., Extension Specialist and Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology at the University of Idaho ""[Albrecht] eloquently and concisely guides readers in revisiting the American West. I would enjoy using this book as a doctoral seminar text."" --Contemporary Rural Social Work ""Rich [in] information for policy debates, economic research, and recommendations for leadership in so many small towns and rural areas."" --Contemporary Rural Social Work
Author Information
Don E. Albrecht grew up in an isolated rural Utah community, and his experiences motivated him to focus on assisting small towns and their residents. After receiving a BS in forestry and MS in sociology from Utah State University, then a Ph.D. in Rural Sociology from Iowa State University, Albrecht spent 27 years at Texas A&M University, researching and exploring challenges rural communities face. In 2008, he became the director of Utah State University's Western Rural Development Center.
