Description
Book SynopsisMore than thirty million Americans live in small, out-of-the-way places. Many of them could have joined the vast majority of Americans who live in cities and suburbs. They could live closer to more lucrative careers and convenient shopping, a wider range of educational opportunities, and more robust health care. But they have opted to live differen
Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013 "Small-Town America is full of surprising findings... [A]cutely aware of the fragility of small towns, Wuthnow believes they have a viable future."--Glenn C. Altschuler, Minneapolis Star Tribune "This comprehensive investigation of social life in small, rural U.S. communities by distinguished scholar Wuthnow is a remarkable contribution to the rural sociological literature. The author combines data from the U.S. census, national surveys, and his own quantitative and qualitative research to illuminate how rural residents view the changes in small town life over the past few decades... An important, thought-provoking picture of small town life."--Choice "[A] rich tapestry depicting the pleasures and difficulties of life in small-town America, the histories and the promises of these places, and the hopes and fears of the people who choose to live there."--Elizabeth Dilley, Christian Century "I learned a great deal about small-town America from this book. In a sense, there is no other sociological study of small-town America to equal it. It fills a significant gap in the sociological literature."--John A. Coleman, America "Small-Town America fills a significant gap in the sociological literature... [Wuthnow] offers a more balanced view of small-town life and culture. Drawing on more than seven hundred in-depth interviews in hundreds of towns across America and three decades of census data, Robert Wuthnow shows the fragility of community in small towns."--Batya Roded, Geography Research Forum "In Small-Town America there is a wealth of information for the field researcher, the demographer, the survey designer, and the community theorist. We are confident that Wuthnow's work will lead to more insightful explorations in community theory and how rural America continues to play a significant role in American society."--Matthew L. McKnight and Ralph B. Brown, American Journal of Sociology
Table of ContentsList of Figures vii List of Profiles ix Preface xi 1- Introduction 1 2- You Have to Deal with Everybody: The Inhabitants of Small Towns 17 3- Going to Be Buried Right Here: How Residents View Their Towns 51 4- Community Spirit: Small-Town Identities That Bind 101 5- The Frog Pond: Making Sense of Work and Money 139 6- Leadership: Earning Respect, Improving the Community 177 7- Habits of Faith: The Social Role of Small-Town Congregations 217 8- Contentious Issues: The Moral Sentiments of Community Life 263 9- Washington Is Broken: Politics and the New Populism 291 10- Keep Your Doors Open: Shaping the Future 319 11- Concluding Reflections: Community in Small Towns 341 Afterword 361 Methodology 365 Notes 391 Selected Bibliography 449 Index 469
