Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Emergence of "Multiple Rurals": an Examination of Economic and Cultural Dimensions of Rural Restructuring

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This dissertation research will assess the causes of migration and the consequences of in-migration on receiving communities in the Western United States. The study will combine analysis of regional trends and archival research to document the changes that occur as well as the perceptions/political positions that different groups within the community have toward growth change. The theoretical framework hypothesizes that both economic and cultural dimensions will influence the politics of restructuring. It relies heavily on the theory of local dependence and on the concept of the growth machine forwarded by Logan and Molotch (1987). Various scales of analysis will be used, and links to emerging theories in geography and regional science will be made. The results will enhance our understanding of contemporary patterns of change in the rural west, especially as they pertain to shifting employment opportunities, land-use strategies, and population diversity.