Rural Sociology

Rural sociology is a unique area of sociological inquiry. Its institutional development leaves it perhaps the most independent of all sociological subfields. Rural sociology in the United States emerged in the early 20th century when federal funding was earmarked to the land grant universities (public universities) to study and assist the farm population. Separate “rural” sociology departments appeared gradually within colleges of agriculture that paralleled the substantive areas found in general sociology departments. Thus, one finds in rural sociology a replication of many core areas in general sociology but with a rural twist—inequality, demography, work/labor markets, race/ethnicity, gender, community, and so forth. Over time, additional rural-oriented specialty areas emerged, notably the sociology of agriculture and natural resource/environmental sociology. Rural sociology has also expanded globally. As a consequence, the substantive scope of contemporary research is large and varied. What knits the work together is a focus on the geographic periphery, that is, the places, populations, and forms of social activity found in rural areas globally which has provided boundary and meaning to the field. In addition to its broad substantive scope, rural sociology is characterized by a distinct research approach. Research tends to be comparative: rural places and populations are often set in contrast with regard to their urban counterparts to ascertain similarities and differences. In this way, rural sociological research is often said to challenge the urban bias of general sociology. Disciplinary practice is also distinct. While there are few departments with rural sociology in their name today, courses and specializations in the field are found across many land grant universities. There is a long tradition of cross-disciplinary linkages particularly with agricultural economics, the environmental sciences, and more recently geography. Rural sociologists have been highly active in federal, state, and local public policy circles and in public sociology efforts that contribute to community development, sustainable agricultural and food systems, and social and environmental justice. In terms of work in the profession, rural sociologists also work outside of colleges of agriculture, within government agencies, international development agencies, and across governmental and non-governmental institutions. Although rural populations will continue to decline globally, there is reason to think that rural sociology will have broad influence in the future because the research areas it encompasses are of growing interest to social scientists, policymakers, and the public at large. Issues addressed by rural sociologists pertaining to the sustainability of the food system, climate/environmental change, and rural poverty are among the most pressing public concerns today.