Reviving Rural America

Book excerpt: We often hear that there is no way out of the modern economic and political tensions that fall along geographic lines. The media regularly declares that rural America is dying and that rural voters are driven only by anger. This narrative of hopelessness centers on the role that markets have played in abandoning rural regions and populations. In Reviving Rural America, Ann M. Eisenberg analyzes our society's laws and policies' role in the urban/rural divide to make the case for hope. She demonstrates how law and policy, as well as decision-makers acting on their own subjective values, have contributed to modern rural challenges. Each chapter debunks a common myth about rural people, places, and policies, helping reveal how we got to where we are now. Ultimately calling for our laws and policies to steward rural America holistically, as a collective resource for all, this book envisions an alternative, more resilient and more just future.