Rural/Urban Differences: Persistence or Decline^☆

Abstract

A long line of sociological research has found that rural residents tend to be more conservative than urban residents in the U.S. on a wide range of attitudes and behaviors. Two primary arguments have been utilized to understand why these differences exist. First, rural/urban differences were thought to be largely a function of rural isolation and differences in types of employment. As rural areas have become less isolated and employment differences have diminished, rural/urban differences are thought to diminish as well. Any remaining rural/urban differences can largely be explained by social class variations. Second, differing interaction patterns in rural areas resulting from fewer people and lower population densities continue to make rural areas unique. This manuscript found strong support for the second argument that rural areas remain unique. Even when statistically controlling for race/ ethnicity and social class, rural residents were much more likely to vote for Trump in the 2020 presidential election, were more likely to choose the conservative side on six controversial political issues than urban residents. These findings have important implications in understanding our deeply divided nation. The need for quality social science research to understand modern rural America is apparent.

Rural Lifestyles and Life Politics: Reimagining Modernity in the Development of a Future Village in China

“…In contrast to cities that represent the achievement of modernity, rural regions are often seen as disadvantaged and backward, given their supposedly limited resources, homogeneous employment choices and traditionally minded populations (Noack and Federwisch 2020). Rural people, on average, are considered to have lower incomes, less education and conservative attitudes than their urban counterparts (e.g., Albrecht 2022; Burton et al 2013; Lichter and Brown 2011). Due to economic, demographic, and socio‐cultural challenges, many villages are experiencing the flow of out‐migration and brain drain (Sherman 2018), and young educated people are likely to move away from their rural hometowns to big cities for better opportunities.…”

“…Ulrich‐Schad, Henly, and Safford 2013; Wolfe, Black, and Welser 2020). Albrecht (2022), for example, mentions that smaller population size and density allow rural community members to get acquainted more efficiently, which reflects “more primary relationships and fewer of the categorical and secondary relationships that dominate life in cities” (Albrecht 2022:5). With increasing amenity development of rural communities, young people start considering the countryside as productive spaces and rural landscapes as beautiful, peaceful, and healthy environments (Leyshon 2008).…”

“…Wirth (1939) identifies the uniqueness of rurality from its reduced size and density. It allows community members opportunities “to become acquainted with a higher proportion of community residents, reduces the total number of social contacts, and allow community residents get to know one another on a more personal level” (Albrecht 2022:5). That is in consistence with what has been observed and experienced in Qingshan.…”

“…Similar to what is happening in rural areas in the United States, unequally distributed financial capital, social capital, and cultural capital have contributed to the differentiation, which holds the danger of further dividing community members (Sherman 2021). The historical rural/urban dichotomy remains an important function of differences in types of lifestyles, visions, and values and rural isolation (Albrecht 2022).…”

Disrupting Political Polarization: The Role of Politics in Explanations of Farm Loss in Southern Wisconsin☆

“…We recognize the significant spatial element of political polarization in the United States (Albrecht 2022; Schafft 2021), the link between rurality and anti‐government and anti‐establishment sentiment (Ashwood 2018; Pied 2021b), and the importance of interrogating the rural. However, only explaining divisions potentially reinforces perceptions of liberal urban environmentalists and conservative rural anti‐environmentalist farmers.…”