Rural Settings

Rural settings refer not only to characteristics related to an area’s demographics and geography but also to a culturally defined marker of identity constructed relationally and socially beyond [Page 667]geographic location. Policy makers and agencies describe rural settings in contrast to what is urban—as geographic entities defined by land use, population density, economic pursuits, and proximity to a metropolitan area. Rural education researchers propose to define rural as everyday interactions and events, tied to place, that constitute a rural life world and a place-dependent sense of belonging. Across contexts, rural settings differ widely and are determined in relation to the local. Place-based education is associated with rural settings and considers learning that is responsive to the local community. This entry first provides information about the ...