Erin Gaede publishes article on poverty and stigma in rural locales
Erin Gaede publishes article on poverty and stigma in rural locales
Erin Gaede, PhD candidate in sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, recently published an article in Rural Sociology titled “Rural Poverty and Social Stigma: Homeless in America’s Dairyland.” Gaede points out that while scholars often focus on physically visible forms of homelessness in urban centers, in rural contexts, people experiencing homelessness are often unseen as they use varying forms of housing that “hide” homelessness and stigma. Her article uses ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews to find that the stigmatization of homelessness in rural areas hinges on its social hypervisibility. Gaede posits that current policies not only fail to support people experiencing homelessness in rural areas but also exacerbate stigma.
Julie Zimmerman, the Dr. and Mrs. C. Milton Coughenour Professor of Rural Sociology at the University of Kentucky and longtime RSS historian, is presenting this month at Kentucky: By the Numbers and Readiness Reimagined: the Arts Disaster & Crisis Preparedness Conference, both events are hosted by the University of Kentucky. The Kentucky: By the Numbers Data Series provides access to county level data for the 120 counties in Kentucky. Multi-source data profiles for each of Kentucky’s 120 counties include a multipart data series on race and ethnicity across Kentucky, groups at risk for severe illness from COVID-19, county profiles for the Extension Statewide Community Assessment, and Eastern Kentucky: By The Numbers for the UK Appalachian Center. The Arts Disaster & Crisis Preparedness Conference is a national gathering focused on building readiness, sharing innovative research and practices, and strengthening the arts sector’s ability to respond to crises. The conference includes sessions and workshops on emergency management, philanthropy, preparedness, response, and community healing.
Julie Zimmerman, Dr. and Mrs. C. Milton Coughenour Professor of Rural Sociology at the University of Kentucky and longtime RSS historian, was recently honored with career awards from RSS and the Kentucky Association of State Extension Professionals. Zimmerman was awarded the Margaret Hagood Distinguished Rural Sociologist Award from RSS in 2025 (Zimmerman is the seventh UK faculty member and first woman to receive this award) and the M.D. Whitaker Award for Extension Excellence from the Kentucky Association of State Extension Professionals (KASEP) at the Kentucky State Extension Conference in 2025. Much of Zimmerman’s research has been on the history of rural sociology and other social sciences in colleges of agriculture and the USDA.
Evan England, Assistant Director of the Center for Social Policy in Practice and research assistant professor in the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire, recently published a series of briefs with colleagues on collaborative aggregation and marketing of local farm food. The briefs focus on analyzing farmers’ collaboration strategies, customer relation strategies, and customer perspectives on barriers to participation in the local farm food market. The briefs use data from case studies and interviews.
Michael Schulman (professor in Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University), Andrew Smolski (assistant professor of rural sociology at Pennsylvania State University), and Elisabeth Ramsey (PhD student in rural sociology at Pennsylvania State Univeristy), along with colleague Cathy Royal, recently published article in the Journal of Human Sciences & Extension. Titled “Affirming Farmer Assets and Visions: Results from a Pilot Appreciative-Inquiry-Based Asset-Mapping Workshop,” the article detailed the process and results of a pilot study to test, evaluate, and refine an asset-mapping tool based on Appreciative Inquiry principles that was conducted by Cooperative Extension Services and non-profit farm advocacy organizations. The researchers recommend that farmer-led organizations and Cooperative Extension Services replicate and scale up this type of Appreciative Inquiry-based asset-mapping workshop to expand outreach and connections among diverse communities of farmers.
Tim Slack, professor of sociology at Louisiana State University, recently published an article with colleagues titled “Labor Force Nonparticipation in Rural and Urban America: An Examination of Prime-Working-Age Men and Women, 2000–2024” in Rural Sociology. Labor force participation is pivotal for the economic health of individuals, families, communities, and the nation. Conversely, labor force nonparticipation represents a major challenge to economic vitality. The study utilized data from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement and found that working-age men, the probability of not being in the labor force is consistently higher in rural areas and the gap is growing, and that for working-age women, the gap was relatively small until the end of the study period. Researchers also found that education and health status were key predictors of labor force participation.
Tim Slack, professor of sociology at Louisiana State University, was recently interviewed for American Community Media. In a segment titled, “‘A Population Lifeline’ – Immigration Is Keeping Rural Towns Alive,” Slack discusses factors shaping population loss in rural America. His segment was part of a briefing called, “Crackdown, Slowdown: How Federal Immigration Policy is Reshaping Small Town America.” Slack’s research focuses on the areas of social stratification and social demography, with an emphasis on comparisons across geographic space and the rural-urban continuum.
Loka Ashwood, professor of community and environmental sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Hazel Velasco Palacios, postdoctoral research associate with the ACRE Justice Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, recently helped facilitate Soil Fest! Co-hosted by Soil Health and Agroecological Living Lab and The Savanna Sanctuary, Soil Fest was an “all-day celebration of the ground beneath our feet.” The festival highlighted the interconnections between people across the food system and society and featured music, dance, visual art, interactive learning opportunities, informational booths, and local food.
Tyler Swanson, who is pursuing a PhD in Community Sustainability with a dual-major in the Environmental Science and Policy Program at Michigan State University, spent his summer as a 2026 Catalyst Leadership Circle Fellow. This competitive summer fellowship is sponsored by Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and run by the U-M Graham Sustainability Institute. Fellows are partnered with a Michigan local government and assist them in a sustainability-focused project. Swanson was paired with the City of Rockford and Village of Milford, MI, and developed a toolkit that will help both municipalities with implementing sustainability plans.
Ann Eisenberg, professor in the College of Law at West Virginia University, was recently featured on the podcast “Side by Side.” She spoke about her new book, “Reviving Rural America: Toward Policies for Resilience.” In the book and her discussion, Eisenberg challenges us to reconsider long-held myths about rural decline, unsustainability, and obsolescence and the often overlooked ways that rural communities support and sustain urban life. She also offers ideas on how to build a more sustainable and inclusive future for both rural and urban communities.