Community development practitioners in rural areas need to develop strategies for coping with rural dependence on core organizations such as multinational corporations and national governments. Rural communities should discuss issues, join forces with other communities, interact with core actors, and find ways to be more self-reliant. (SK)

Two problem identification surveys conducted to support Extension Community and Resource Development programs in South Carolina's rural Williamsburg County focused on some implications for citizen involvement in public decision making, specifically in rural community development. A 1975 survey of 41 leaders and 1976 citizen survey of 214 rural…

Historically the research and extension functions of land grant universities have been separate. This article discusses a Title V rural development program at Pennsylvania State in which research and extension efforts have been linked to provide knowledge and expertise to rural communities. (DS)

This text is intended as a basis for community development educators to increase their understanding of the elements of community development, assess systematically the strengths and weaknesses of a community development situation, examine one approach to community development education and the principles from which it grew, and gain confidence in…

Describes a problem-solving instructional unit which utilizes a simulation gaming method to help students in an introductory college-level geography course understand rural community development in a developing nation. (DB)

Reports universal issues discussed by social welfare experts from 20 European/North American countries: unique energy of strong "local communities," stimulation of innovative thinking to resolve rural problems, and recognition that depopulated rural communities often regain strength and vitality when they become more accepting of new…

The Center for Community Organization and Area Development prods residents of a tri-state area to understand their problems and then stirs them to come up with solutions. (Editor)

The persons and groups who held lead roles in the development of an electricity generating plant near Craig, Colorado, and/or aided in problem solving activities are the concerns of this examination of boomtown studies in which field theory is employed as a framework for assessing Craig's community structure characteristics. The usefulness of…

Rural and economic development efforts are inadequate responses to changing rural conditions. They fail because they are often top-down driven and few influential people are involved. Minnesota's Project Future is designed to help distressed communities take charge of their own direction. Developed on the principle of collective empowerment, this…

Over the last decade, there have been rapid developments in field methodologies within participatory approaches to rural and agricultural development. At the same time, the use of "soft systems" methodologies for bringing potentially conflictual or disparate actors together for action has spread from the business world to other applications. These…

A review of research on rural/small schools' problems, prospects, and possible alternatives indicates that these schools find themselves in a cycle of financial trouble, community disintegration, and dwindling population; they face problems such as low tax base, lack of financial support by state and federal government, inadequate facilities and…