Rural white people have long held disproportionate power in US politics. But polls suggest their commitments to the American political system are eroding.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author is just one of many artists from Appalachia who are probing the crisis in their work, while taking pains to ensure that it doesn’t define the region and its people.
If the EV transition focuses exclusively on drivers in privately owned cars, it won’t meet many Americans’ mobility needs, particularly in underserved communities.
The rising cost of living doesn’t hit all Americans equally. Yet the benchmark figure for charting the rising cost of living excludes people in rural areas.
While many students who grew up in rural communities leave for good after going off to college, some are returning to their rural roots. A scholar who studies education and small towns explains why.
Farmers can help slow climate change by mixing native grasses into croplands, restoring wetlands and raising perennial crops. These strategies also conserve soil and water and build new markets.
A federal proposal could effectively reclassify the homes of millions of Americans as rural, not urban – without anything actually changing about their communities.
Stereotypically, gay, queer and trans kids flee small towns to find acceptance in big, diverse cities like New York or Chicago. But evidence shows many will eventually return to rural areas.
Americans depend more than ever on high-speed internet to connect to jobs, get health care and socialize. What policies really work to close the rural-urban digital divide?
The Postal Service plays a critical role in the supply chains of small businesses and in keeping rural America connected. There’s no reason it can’t continue to do so despite its financial woes.