Community, Health, and Family Research and Interest Group Exploring the social dimensions of well-being in rural communities
What We’re About
The Community, Health and Family Research Interest Group is a multidisciplinary community of scholars committed to the open exchange of ideas, collaborative research, and the promotion of teaching—all aimed at improving the quality of life in rural communities both domestically and internationally.
Members of this RIG focus on advancing innovative research methods and theoretical approaches to explore topics such as:
Community attachment and satisfaction
Social change and development
The sociological study of families
Population health and well-being in rural settings
Our collective goal is to better understand how rural communities can thrive in an increasingly urbanized world.
Annual Dues:
Regular Members – $10
Student Members – $5
Get Involved:
Attend our sessions and networking events at the RSS Annual Meeting
Participate in planning discussions or propose new activities
Contact our leadership team to get connected
What We Do and How to Get Involved
The Community, Health, and Family RIG proudly sponsors two annual paper competitions:
The Ronald Wimberley Student Paper Competition (undergraduate and graduate levels)
The Ralph Brown Faculty Paper Competition
Awards are presented during the RIG Business Meeting, held in conjunction with the Rural Sociological Society (RSS) Annual Meeting.
Everyone is welcome. Whether you’re an experienced researcher, exploring careers in rural health or family services, or simply interested in learning more about the social dynamics of rural communities.
Leadership:
📰 News and Announcements
📚 Selected Publications and Resources
Explore work from our members and resources on rural sociology:
- US rural population health and aging in the 2020s
- Does Caregiver Well-Being Differ by Rurality and State Policy Environment? Identifying a Well-Being Typology for Rural, Suburban, and Urban Caregivers
- Early Family Formation, Selective Migration, and Childhood Conditions in Rural America
- The Relational Experience of Poverty: Challenges for Family Planning and Autonomy in Rural Areas
- Rural and Small-Town America – Context, Composition, and Complexities
- Judging Parents, Judging Place: Poverty, Rurality and Termination of Parental Rights