Latest News & Announcements Hot Off the Press: News, Events, and More
The Rural Sociological Society Announcements Board is your central spot for timely updates and opportunities relevant to the RSS community. From calls for submissions and training opportunities to jobs, events, and funding news, this board helps members stay connected and engaged throughout the year. Whether you’re posting or browsing, we encourage you to share and explore opportunities that support rural research, scholarship, and practice.
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Current Announcements
| Type | Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Events (All Formats) | 6th Global Food Security Conference | Submitted by: Karen Purvis <k.purvis@elsevier.com> Description: The 6th Global Food Security Conference will take place 19-22 April 2027at Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands. A high-level program will explore the latest scientific evidence on challenges and solutions for food and nutrition security in a multidimensional perspective. Abstracts are invited by 11 Sept 2026 and early booking is open until 11 Dec 2026. For full details visit: |
| Jobs | Assistant Professor of Sociology Position at University of Maine | Submitted by: Sarah Walton <sarah.walton@maine.edu> Description: The Department of Sociology at the University of Maine is seeking to hire a tenure-track Assistant Professor. The successful candidate will contribute to the department’s teaching, research, and enrollment goals through excellent undergraduate instruction, an active research agenda, and engagement with students, colleagues, and community partners. Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Teaching: Teach undergraduate courses in criminal justice and sociology consistent with departmental needs (3-2 load); develop and maintain high-quality instructional materials; assess student learning; and advise and mentor undergraduate students in their academic, career, and research pursuits. About the University: Qualifications: Required: Ph.D. or advanced ABD (degree conferral will be required before position start date). Preferred: Expertise in restorative justice, race/ethnicity, or criminal justice institutions and systems. Other Information: To be considered for this position you will need to “Apply” and upload the documentation listed below: 1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position Candidates selected to proceed to the final stages of the search process will be requested to provide teaching evaluations and a list of names and contact information for references. Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University. For full consideration, materials must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. EST on September 30, 2026. For questions about the search, please contact search committee chair Michael Haedicke at michael.haedicke@maine.edu. Details: https://fa-ewca-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/job/3064 |
| Jobs | Contract Data Dashboard position | Submitted by: Becky Schewe <rschewe@sustainableagriculture.net> Description: The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) is seeking a grant-funded independent contractor to serve as a Data Developer. The contractor may work remotely or from IATP’s Minneapolis office at their discretion. The Data Developer will contribute to improvements to the Meat and Dairy Emissions Dashboard, which is the only publicly available source of information on meat and dairy companies’ climate-related reporting and exposure to climate-related reporting requirements. In compiling this data, IATP is contributing to the global campaign to increase corporate climate accountability and cut agricultural livestock emissions. |
| Jobs | Assistant/Associate Professor in Social Science & Sustainability | Submitted by: Dr. Marc Stern <mjstern@vt.edu> Description: The Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor position in Social Science and Sustainability. We seek a collaborative and innovative social scientist whose work addresses the human dimensions of sustainability with an emphasis on natural resource management, environmental conservation, and/or environmental governance. The specific topic of sustainability research is open, and we welcome diverse candidates whose substantive and methodological expertise complements and strengthens our program. This position will contribute to our department’s ongoing efforts to integrate rigorous social science into our interdisciplinary curriculum and research portfolio. The successful candidate must develop a productive externally funded research program and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in areas such as leadership for sustainability and other topics aligned with their expertise. Individuals must have a PhD in a social science field relevant to sustainability |
| Call for Submissions | Call for papers: ‘Beyond the New West/Old West’ special issue of Rural Sociology | Submitted by: Kristal Jones <kristal@jgresearch.org> Description: We are pleased to share a call for papers for a special issue of Rural Sociology. The theme of the special issue is “Beyond the “Old West” and “New West”: Changing People, Places, and Power in High Amenity Rural Areas.” Full details can be found attached. In brief, we are interested in papers focused on examining the changing social landscapes of high amenity rural areas, with a focus on updating and expanding concepts related to the New West/Old West framework. We invite empirical, methodological, and theoretical contributions that illuminate the diverse people, institutions, relationships, and power dynamics shaping these communities. We welcome studies of the American West as well as research from other U.S. regions and international contexts where similar dynamics are at play, including papers focused solely on rural places and those making rural-urban or cross-place comparisons. Prospective contributors should submit an extended abstract no later than 5 PM ET on November 1, 2026. Abstracts can be up to two pages, single spaced, and must include a 3-5 sentence summary about how their study fits with the special issue theme. Submissions should be sent to the guest editorial team (elizabethbennett@isu.edu, kristal@jgresearch.org, and jessica.schad@usu.edu). We will consider two types of submissions: research articles and research notes. Review the Rural Sociology Author Guidelines for descriptions of each. Specify in your abstract which type of paper you plan to submit if invited for full paper submission. All submissions must be original work that has not been previously published. We will extend invitations by Dec. 15, 2026, and full papers will be due April 1, 2027. |
| Events (All Formats) | Emma Scott to speak at Aspen Institute webinar | Submitted by: Edith-Marie Green <emgreen3@wisc.edu> Description: Emma Scott, Associate Professor and the Director of the Food and Agriculture Clinic at Vermont Law and Graduate School, will be speaking at an Aspen Institute webinar on October 1. Titled “Conversations on Food Justice: The People Who Feed Us,” the webinar focuses on what fair pay, job stability, and worker well-being could look like across the food chain—from stronger labor standards and wage policies to new pathways for advancement and ownership. Scott’s work focuses on food system workers and food system policy at the federal, state, and local level. Details: https://aspeninstitute.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tOujNNZ8TLe7tvICjDj8qQ#/registration |
| Jobs | Job opportunity: LSU Department of Sociology, open rank professor position with a specialization in Environment and Community | Submitted by: Tim Slack <slack@lsu.edu> Description: Start Date: August 2027 Job Position/Rank: Assistant, Associate, Full Professor (Tenure-Track). Department of Sociology Louisiana State University Job Description: 50% – Teach graduate or undergraduate courses and hold regular office hours. Supervise graduate assistant(s) if assigned. 50% – Maintain an active research agenda with regular publications. Specialization Area: Environment and Community The LSU Department of Sociology is one of the oldest in the South and has awarded doctoral degrees for over 80 years. LSU is Louisiana’s flagship research university and is the only public Carnegie designated Research Extensive University in the state. For more information about the department, please see www.lsu.edu/sociology. The Department of Sociology at Louisiana State University invites applications for an open rank professor position beginning August 2027. We seek applicants with a specialization in Environment and Community who want to join a vibrant academic community at a R1 university. Screening of applicants will begin October 12, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check and RS:17 screening. Minimum Qualifications: Assistant Professor: Ph.D. in Sociology or Anticipated Completion of Degree by August of 2027 Associate Professor: Ph.D. in Sociology + 6 years of higher education experience Full Professor: Ph.D. in Sociology + 10 years of higher education experience For full announcement, see: https://lsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/LSU/job/0110A-WC-Stubbs-Hall/Assistant-Professor—Environment-and-Community-Studies_R00120137 |
| Jobs | Job Opportunity for Comms Specialist for large farmer-led USDA SAS project | Submitted by: Doug Jackson-Smith <jackson-smith.1@osu.edu> Description: We are replacing the Communications Director for our USDA SAS-CAP project (From the Ground Up; ftgup.org) – an innovative farmer led collaborative effort to engage farmers in research and innovation around conservation in OH and MO. If you know of any potential candidates – please pass along the attached flyer. We are looking for individuals who have comms/media experience (in general), but ideally with some familiarity with Midwestern food and ag. Deadline for initial review is soon – October 4th! |