Papers presented at a symposium commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Department of Rural Sociology of the University of Wisconsin-Madison are collected in this volume. The first four papers--by Olaf Larson, Edward Moe, Daryl Hobbs, and Robert Gard--discuss the department's history, emphasizing the contributions of outstanding faculty members and the ongoing emphasis on extension, outreach, and research. The subsequent five papers address the current status and future of rural sociology. Don Dillman presents predictions and a recommended agenda for rural sociology research. Harriett Friedman discusses the expanding field of agrarian studies and political economy and its implication for rural sociology as a discipline. Stan Albrecht reviews the status and future of rural sociology from the perspective of a "Rural Sociology" editor. William Flinn reviews the role of rural sociology in international development activities, and Howard Newby gives a European scholar's perspective or rural sociology in the United States. The final section is a 75-page, comprehensive bibliography of publications by faculty and staff of the Department of Rural Sociology. Entries are organized under five headings: books; chapters in books, bulletins, and proceedings; journal articles; bulletins and published reports; and working papers. (JHZ)