Learning by Doing, and Doing What Others Have Done: Study Replication in the Classroom

The study of sociology comprise both theory and method, a combination which has resulted in persistent challenges to pedagogical practice in the lower level undergraduate classroom (Cutler 1987; Takata and Leiting 1987). While teaching of general theory is well-suited to the classroom in the instruction of framework , teaching the application of theory require the introduction of data for those frameworks. Similarly, while specific methods can be outlined in the lecture classroom format common to lower-level coursework, teaching the application of methods remain key to building a solid understanding of the discipline and it practices (Cutler 1987; Van Valey 1977, 2001). Therefore, a new emphasis on student hands-on learning which integrates both theory and method is emerging in sociological pedagogy (Karp 1995; Takata and Leiting 1987; Van Valey 1977, 2001). These emphases are both complementary to and in keeping with South Dakota State University\u27s Lead Forward Objective. The pedagogical approaches place technological literacy, communication ability, practical skills and critical thinking at the forefront, all of which contribute to student outcomes of international competitiveness, social awareness, and ability to adapt to social change

Occupational Aspirations, Rural to Urban Migration, and Intersectionality: A Comparison of White, Black, and Hispanic Male and Female Group Chances for Leaving Rural Counties

It has been documented that not all rural residents are leaving rural counties equally. Social positions may prevent some groups from migrating, while pushing other groups away from rural counties. This paper uses an intersectionality theoretical approach to explain how race/ethnicity, gender, and class shape occupational aspirations and the migration decision. Using the NLSY79, race/ethnicity, gender, and mothers’ educational attainment were each combined with the respondent’s occupational aspiration to predict migration rates for selected intersectional groups. Results show that females with high occupational aspirations, whites with high occupational aspirations, and individuals with high occupational aspirations whose mothers had high educational attainments were more likely to migrate compared with other intersectional groups

“Why Are You Still Out There?” Persistence among Deep Rural Communities in the Northern Plains

In the face of on-going population loss and despite all dire warnings to the contrary, the clear persistence of certain rural communities continues in unexpected areas of the Great Plains. It is this persistence that is becoming the most difficult element to explain. Thus, this paper turns the traditional research question on its head and asks why some deep rural communities endure. As a result, we introduce a new concept in rural studies-community persistence-and, consequently, we advance a theoretical model to explain why some communities survive without natural amenities or adjacency to a metropolis. Our concept of persistence attempts to answer the question, why are you still out there? when most of society has given up on deep rural populations. We offer a sharp distinction between community persistence and the much-discussed concept of community sustainability. Moreover, our theory incorporates place-based sociological, economic and political factors associated with community persistence. In particular, our integrated theory suggests that persistent communities develop dense social networks, high human capital and deliberative civic engagement so that these towns stood out from the crowded field of contenders for sub-regional prominence. Since we are embarking on a long-term investigation about deep rural communities, this paper offers a preliminary analysis using existing data sources. Our unit of analysis is the county and our sample includes all deep rural counties in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. We employ two measures of persistence: per capita income and civilian labor force. Both our initial analysis of the ten most persistent counties and a more rigorous test of the entire sample indicate a high proportion of college graduates, high population density, and competitive political parties are most closely associated with persistent communities. Our findings suggest that a broad mix of social, economic, and political factors are essential to community persistence in deep rural areas. We connect our findings to rural development policy efforts and also discuss avenues for future studies that build on our theory

Absence of Age-Income Correlation in Ten Rural South Dakota Counties: Real Capital Outflow or Self-selection Bias?

Previous research establishes a positive correlation between age and income during the working years of 18 to 65. Survey data from the first 10 communities in a development project in South Dakota do not exhibit this correlation. Census data is examined for the 10 counties involved to determine whether the correlation is absent countywide or if self-selection bias may have produced this result. With income distributions matching their respective counties and working age distributions that do not, factors that might skew self-selection in the observed manner are examined from a life-course perspective

Persistence among Deep Rural Communities in the Northern Plains, Revisited

This research note revisits the question of rural persistence, which was first brought to light in this journal by Redlin et al. (2010). We follow Redlin et al’s example by employing county-level data and seek to identify small towns that are surviving to explain their persistence. Our effort to replicate their results begins with the collection of the data anew, but we also include two additional states and incorporate a time dimension. By using Census data from 2000 only, Redlin et al. applied a static approach to test their hypothesis. In this study, we collect data from 1990 as well as 2000 to explore the time dimension of rural persistence. Our findings indicate that rural persistence is a dynamic rather than a static process. First, human capital systematically affects rural persistence. Second, changes in human capital affect rural persistence much more significantly than a stock of each measure at an earlier point in time. This result is encouraging; it suggests that no matter a community’s starting point in human capital, efforts towards community survival can be successful. Increases in any of our independent variables affect small town persistence more than the initial stock of any of them. Moreover, our results produce differences among the states, specifically Montana and Wyoming from the Dakotas, which indicate that future research efforts in rural persistence should explore political structure. Secondly, we suggest a grounded theory approach which develops data from a focused effort on a handful of rural communities

Active Citizenship and Youth Participation

This is a survey of students at South Dakota State University and at the University of Ljublijana (Slovenia)

Conceptual and Spatial Migrations: Rural Gay Men's Quest for Identity

International audienceThis chapter explores the link between the construction of sexual identity, expressions of masculinity and mobility practices between rural and urban spaces in two countries, France and the United States. These countries are used for comparative study because both constitute postindustrial societies where rural spaces have undergone significant changes, and whose rural spaces are sources of rural romanticism promoting heterosexuality and marginalizing other sexual orientations. Also, while both countries manifest diversity in rural areas, heterosexual norms and traditional masculinities continue to culturally define them. Based on the life narratives of 30 self-identified rural gay men, this chapter defines how gay men (mostly White working-or middle-class) build their sense of self through back-and-forth movements between urban and rural settings. By contrasting French and American case studies, we present the significant, but nonetheless ambivalent, role of the city in the building of their sexual identity. We argue that the sexual identity construction of our research participants does not happen through experience in the city, but rather, it is a process occurring through their movement within and between rural and urban spaces. In conclusion, we highlight, in contrast to previous studies, that the impetus to rural return for these men is based in the adapted values, traditions and representations of the rural space