February 1, 2017 at 11:30 pm

Wealth & Poverty | Appalachia’s New Rural Economy: Industry, Employment, and Economic Well-Being, Feb. 3

Dr. Cynthia Anderson

The Wealth & Poverty theme at Ohio University presents Dr. Cynthia Anderson discussing Appalachia’s New Rural Economy: Industry, Employment, and Economic Well-Being on Friday, Feb. 3, from 1-2 p.m. at Alden 319.

This event is part of Wealth & Poverty Week: Rural America.

Abstract

The “new rural economy” is a term used to capture recent transformations in rural life (Burton, Lichter, Baker, Eason 2013). The biggest driver of change is economic restructuring, particularly the decline of traditional forms of manufacturing. The Appalachian region, once characterized as an economy highly dependent on mining, forestry, agriculture, chemical industries, and heavy industry, has become newly diversified. In the new economy, the food, lodging and entertainment industry employees the most people in Appalachia; followed by health and social services. However, the transformation to Appalachia’s new economy is very uneven. While some communities have successfully diversified, others, particularly those in rural areas, continue to lack basic infrastructure such as roads, water and sewage systems. In this presentation, she will discuss variations in the new economy by examining the role of industry in rural Appalachia.

Speaker Bio

Anderson is Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Ohio University. Her research focuses on the intersection of work, discrimination and rural communities. She examines questions about gendered processes that shape women and men’s experiences across rural labor markets. She has published articles in Advances in Gender Research, Rural Sociology, Social Problems, and Gender & Society and has received NSF funding to study women STEM faculty in community colleges. Anderson has held positions of leadership in several professional associations, including Sociologists for Women in Society and Rural Sociological Society.