Commodity agriculture and civic agriculture represent two distinct types of farming found in the U.S. today. Commodity agriculture is grounded on the belief that the primary objectives of farming should be to produce as much food/fiber as possible for the least cost. It is driven by the twin goals of productivity and efficiency. Civic…

Offers theses to encourage search for community in the changing countryside: because of its influence on social well-being, the community is alive; rural areas present special community development advantages/problems; strategies must address sources of rural problems in larger society; rural sociology can specify/measure parameters of rural…

A study of effects of differentiated farm structures and industry structures on socioeconomic conditions in 3,037 counties for 1970 and 1980 indicated that employment in core industry and a pattern of family farming contribute to more favorable socioeconomic conditions. Both peripheral and state employment lowered socioeconomic conditions relative…

Data from 92 towns in northern New York were used to examine the influence of community social-class composition on both de facto and de jure discrimination against such housing. The positive influence of population growth on mobile-home occurrence was found to be conditioned by intercommunity class composition. (JHZ)

Surveys importance of economic and environmental factors in motivation of metro- and nonmetro-origin migrants relocating in 13 Kansas nonmetropolitan nonamenity turnaround counties. Finds employment-related reasons predominate, with economic characteristics of counties a significant factor. Quality of life/environmental reasons were less…

Census data and mailed questionnaires were used to test three hypotheses about unemployment impacts: labor-market infusion, labor-market overload; and a balance of positive and negative impacts differing with occupational status. Results showed that blue-collar persons--both newcomers and long-term residents--experienced much higher unemployment…

Proposes social structural view of poverty rates as a function of local opportunity instead of individual-level focus on who is poor. Defines poverty rates as a function of industrial structure and relative power of labor in a locality. Confirms theoretical model with data from 46 South Carolina counties. (LFL)