Rural sociologists at work : candid accounts of theory, method, and practice / edited Johannes I. ("Hans") Bakker.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

PART I: Background Accounts General Introduction by Lawrence Busch, Michigan State University 1. Rural Sociology: A Slightly Personal History by Stephen Turner, University of South Florida 2. "I Could Tell Stories ‘til the Cows Come Home:" Personal Biography meets Collective Biography by Julie N. Zimmerman, University of Kentucky PART II: Candid Accounts 3. An Accidental Rural Sociologist by Michael D. Schulman, North Carolina State University 4. From Estate Agriculture to the Industrial Diet: The Trajectory of a Canadian Rural Sociologist by Anthony Winson, University of Guelph 5. The Intersection of Biography and Work as a Rural Sociologist by Linda Lobao, The Ohio State University 6. Rural Sociologists at Work: Dual Careers, Single Focus by Cornelia Butler Flora and Jan L. Flora, Iowa State University PART III: Theory and Method 7. Rural Sociology: An Intellectual Crescent Wrench by Ralph Brown, Brigham Young University 8. Avoiding Burnout: All Who Wander Are Not Lost by Conner Bailey, Auburn University 9. The Accidental Rural Sociologist by Bill Reimer, Concordia University

This collection of original chapters, written by prominent social scientists, elucidates the theory and practice of contemporary rural sociology. The book applies lessons from the careers of sociologists and their field research endeavors, covering a wide range of topics: agricultural production, processing, and marketing; international food security and rural development; degradation of the bio-physical environment across borders; and the study of community, family, health, and many other issues in an increasingly globalized world. The authors’ candid accounts provide insight into possibilities for enhancing opportunity and equality and serving basic human needs.