Rural areas in transition: meeting challenges & making opportunities

"This volume explores new opportunities to reshape local economies in rural areas during the next decade by exploring successful efforts already underway. While reported population declines can paint a bleak picture for rural areas, a different story can be told in looking at numbers of households, employment, and housing markets. In fact, many rural areas have had steady employment and healthy housing markets. Rural attractions often include proximity to natural recreation areas, personal safety, social interaction, less expensive housing, and high-quality education. This book shows that rural areas are in a major long-term transition and that local leaders who take advantage of these opportunities in their community and economic development strategies can create a very positive future for residents. Students and policymakers in local economic development, sociology of population change, business finance, political economy, and geography will find this a useful resource"--

Cover -- Half Title -- Series Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- CONTENTS -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- List of Contributors -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Rural Areas: Concerns and Potential -- 2. Regional Economic Trends Across the Rural-Urban Divide -- 3. Rural America Can Have a Prosperous Future -- 4. Rural Federal Policy in Transition -- 5. Economic Contributions of Hospitals to Rural Areas: Are They Necessary? -- 6. The Role of Rural Nonprofits: Innovation, Opportunities, and Threats -- 7. Social Enterprises as a Revitalization Strategy for Rural Communities -- 8. Building a Rural Entrepreneurial Ecosystem -- 9. Rewriting the Rural Narrative -- 10. Toward Citizens' Enablement: Examples of Academics Empowering Resident to Cost Effectively Solve Community Issues -- 11. Transitioning Businesses to the Next Generation in New Ways -- 12. Acquiring, Building, and Investing in Private Businesses: A New Approach -- 13. Opportunities in Rural Areas: What have We Learned? -- Index.