This paper examines children's perspectives on rural territories in two Colombian areas affected by armed conflict, exploring intersections of knowledge production, territory, and memory. Using Decolonial Perspectives and Escobar's territory concept, an educational collaborative ethnography was conducted. Territory is conceptualised as a…

This polyvocal text is both a narrative and a dialogue between two scholar-activist researchers working in rural communities in distinct parts of the world--South Africa and Southern Mexico--sharing their experiences of using cellular phone and camcorders, while also exploring the potential sustainability of these technologies in the context of…

This paper is about how rural landscape is experienced according to combinations of practical engagements with land and the ways meaning is made in relation to it. It presents the case of the ambiguous position of the Orkney Islands within categorisations of Highland and Lowland landscapes in Scotland. Through a discussion of the physical and…

Like most other Western countries, New Zealand has been undergoing considerable change in its rural communities for some decades. Alongside the changes in rural New Zealand, there has been what many commentators argue, a paradigm shift in education from a "front-loaded" model dominated by schooling to one of lifelong learning. This…

Describes the use of geographic information systems (GIS) by a "local learning team" to map socioeconomic patterns in Jackson County, Kentucky, and to evaluate the distribution of local funding and the geographic equity of representation related to the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community program. Discusses advantages and disadvantages…

Brooks Farm is an independent Black farming community unique in the Mississippi Delta. A community case study shows that, despite declining population and resources, Brooks Farm has drawn on the strength of its traditional institutions (family, churches, civic groups) to sustain community life and to continue to provide services to the elderly,…

A study of two rural independent living demonstration projects contrasts successful approaches: an independent living center and the integration of independent living philosophy and practices into an existing service network. Presents demographic information; community resources; and interview results from disabled persons, religious leaders, and…

Describes one researcher's experiences as she interviewed rural families during a comprehensive survey of Johnson County, Tennessee. Discusses health care problems and needs, family support systems for the sick and elderly, fears about cancer risks, and the real picture of underemployment versus the official unemployment rate. (SV)

In the 1940s, the Montana Study focused on engaging the University of Montana in outreach efforts in small towns, developing mechanisms to stabilize the family and small communities and improve the quality of small-town life. Its most popular activity was the creation of over a dozen community study groups aimed at community cultural renewal. (SV)

Describes nine of Colorado's smallest rural elementary school communities. Shows how they fall into six community types (agricultural, rural industrial, stable recreational, ranching/railroad, rural commuter, loosely structured/isolated). Notes the interdependence of rural schools and their communities. Explains how the idea of school as community…

Describes community assessment component of four-part training model designed to prepare doctoral students to carry out mental health promotion projects in rural settings. Incorporates windshield survey, ratings of community impressions, archival data, community leadership analysis, key informant interviews, person along-the-street interviews,…

Addresses the feasibility of establishing standards that would guide communities in protecting the environments of children and families. Recommends an environmental assessment tool that evaluates child well-being, compares community averages in terms of high-risk factors, includes longitudinal assessments of child well-being, examines community…

Five papers examine mountain religion, focusing on Jeff Todd Titon's book, "Powerhouse of God: Speech, Chant, and Song in an Appalachian Baptist Church." Discussants include Paul Salstrom; Deborah Vansau McCauley; Howard Dorgan; Altina Waller; and Charles T. Davis. Titon responds, explaining his views and study of religion. (TES)

Participant observation and intensive interviews of fifty people from a rural midwestern community provided information on the importance of women in women's organizations and in behind-the-scenes arenas of local politics and economics. Bringing women into community studies expands the concept of community into private, familial arenas where…

The program for artistically talented in the Jersey City Public Schools primarily serves a disadvantaged population. Among its activities are field trips to the countryside and to local neighborhoods. Students get new visual experiences which they can compare to familiar ones and are encouraged to use in their artwork. (CS)