A Colloquium and Field Study on Sustaining Rural Systems: July 2019: St Paul, MN

Macalester College, Saint Paul MN

Investigators

Abstract

This project supports the 2019 Colloquium and Field Study of the Sustainability of Rural Systems Commission of the International Geographical Union (IGU-CSRS), which will be hosted jointly by Macalester College and the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire. The Colloquium fosters collaboration and information exchange specifically focused on concepts of economic, social, and environmental sustainability of rural systems. This Colloquium engages scholars, civic leaders, and local communities in discussions and place-specific examples of community and farmer initiatives highlighting innovative models and technologies related to sustainable rural communities in the U.S. The collaborations and partnerships include opportunities for student participation, training, and potential internships related to these themes. This forum also provides participants with an opportunity to develop a variety of perspectives on rural sustainability and bolster relationships between the universities and local communities. The U.S. Midwest region is the living laboratory in which participants will examine the diverse economic and social trajectories of rural communities. Globalization and economic development manifest differently at local levels and impact rural communities differentially, depending on linkages within global trade networks. This Colloquium and Field Study is organized around four sub-themes highlighting the importance of the local while interrogating the relationships between local social and economic vitality and national and global trends. The first sub-theme, "Rural Innovations: Entrepreneurship and Rural-Urban Partnerships," highlights conventional and perceptual barriers between rural and urban regions and examines activities and opportunities for building healthy and sustainable regional networks. Theme two, "Recognizing rural demographic diversity," highlights the rapidly changing rural demographic landscape, including issues of aging, population decline, and increasing ethnic diversity. The third and fourth themes, "Land Use Transitions" and "Agricultural Transitions" focus on the restructuring of rural economies, including small and large-scale agriculture, new business, and innovative technologies. This project investigates rural social, economic, environmental systems through a colloquium focused on exchanging research and experiences between scholars from around the world, and with an in-depth field-based study of rural communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.