Rural Communities

by Flora, Cornelia Butler; Flora, Jan L.

• ISBN13: 9780813345055
• ISBN10: 0813345057
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-07-31
• Publisher: Westview Pr

Summary

Rural Communities: Legacy and Changeexamines the diversity of rural America: its unique communities, histories, and social issues. It also considers how rural communities use their increasing connectedness to creatively address modern challenges in the face of increasing globalization and climate change. Focusing on various capitals in rural areas-natural, cultural, human, social, political, financial, and built-this book provides students with an essential framework for understanding rural society based on the concepts of social science. Rural Communitiescovers vital issues such as racial and cultural diversity in rural areas; globalization and increasing tensions over international immigration; the impact of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; the central role of communities in organizing a sustainable future; and building community in the context of ubiquitous change. Updates to the fourth edition include new coverage of local food movements, climate change, and the impacts of the global financial crisis.

Author Biography

Cornelia Butler Flora is Charles F. Curtis Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. Jan L. Flora is an extension sociologist and professor of sociology at Iowa State University.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. vii
Preface to the Fourth Edition	p. ix
Components of Rural Community Community Capitals
Community Capitals and the Rural Landscape	p. 1
The Rural Landscape	p. 1
Defining Rural	p. 4
Defining Community	p. 8
Rural Communities and Change	p. 13
Market, State, and Civil Society	p. 14
About This Book	p. 21
Chapter Summary	p. 24
Key Terms	p. 25
References	p. 26
Natural Capital	p. 27
Land Use	p. 29
Water Concerns	p. 34
Importance of Biodiversity	p. 44
Climate Change	p. 46
Chapter Summary	p. 49
Key Terms	p. 50
References	p. 51
Cultural Capital and Legacy	p. 53
What Is Legacy?	p. 55
Conflicting Cultural Capitals and Cultural Domination	p. 57
Social Class, Stratification, and Domination	p. 60
Legacy and the Family	p. 64
Transmitting Legacy through the Community	p. 71
Impact of Gender, Race, and Ethnicity	p. 74
Inequality: Whose Legacy?	p. 78
Chapter Summary	p. 79
Key Terms	p. 80
References	p. 81
Human Capital	p. 83
What Is Human Capital?	p. 84
Human Capital as Labor Force	p. 89
Building Human Capital	p. 96
Chapter Summary	p. 109
Key Terms	p. 110
References	p. 111
Social Capital and Community	p. 115
What Is Social Capital?	p. 118
Bonding and Bridging Social Capital: Homogeneity or Inclusion?	p. 125
Entrepreneurial Social Infrastructure	p. 132
Conclusions	p. 138
Chapter Summary	p. 139
Key Terms	p. 140
References	p. 141
Political Capital	p. 143
Political Capital	p. 144
Power and Economic Interests	p. 153
Power Structure and Community Change	p. 164
Understanding Power Structure and Increasing the Political Capital of Excluded Groups	p. 166
Who Gains?	p. 168
Chapter Summary	p. 169
Key Terms	p. 170
References	p. 171
Financial Capital	p. 173
The Concept of Financial Capital	p. 175
Financial Capital and Community Needs	p. 184
Sources of Capital	p. 189
The Changing Rules of Financial Capital	p. 195
Business Financial Capital and Community	p. 198
Chapter Summary	p. 205
Key Terms	p. 206
References	p. 208
Built Capital	p. 211
Defining Built Capital	p. 212
Public Versus Private Provision of Built Capital	p. 217
Community Choices	p. 220
Federal, State, and Local Roles: Making Linkages	p. 235
Motivation to Act	p. 241
Chapter Summary	p. 241
Key Terms	p. 242
References	p. 243
The Transformation of Community Capitals in a Changing World
Consumption in Rural America	p. 245
Why Is Consumption Important?	p. 247
Consolidation	p. 251
Changes in the Labor Force	p. 262
Targeted Advertising and Segmented Markets	p. 264
Impacts of Increased Consumption	p. 269
Chapter Summary	p. 287
Key Terms	p. 288
References	p. 288
The Global Economy	p. 291
Altering Globalization: The Growing Importance of Financial Capital	p. 297
Rural Linkages to a World Economy	p. 309
Opportunities and Risks: Rural Areas in the Global Economy	p. 324
Chapter Summary	p. 330
Key Terms	p. 332
References	p. 333
Governance	p. 337
What Is Governance?	p. 339
Organization and Functions of Local Governments	p. 341
Challenges Faced by Local Governments	p. 344
Providing Public Services: An Example of Collaboration	p. 350
Sustained Citizen Engagement	p. 353
Leveraging Regional Resources	p. 354
Chapter Summary	p. 357
Key Terms	p. 358
References	p. 358
Mobilizing Community Capitals for Social Change
Generating Community Change	p. 361
Community and Development	p. 364
Models of Community Development	p. 365
Factors in Effective Change	p. 382
Approaches to Economic Development	p. 387
Chapter Summary	p. 390
Key Terms	p. 391
References	p. 392
Appendix	p. 395
Index	p. 399
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