An Interactional Approach to Place-Based Rural Development

Rural America is in the midst of the most far-reaching transformation in our history. Globalization and other forces are fundamentally altering the economic landscape and erasing many traditional sources of employment and income; in such an uncertain environment, economic development has become more important and more complicated than ever. Unfortunately, rural policies have not kept pace with the times, and there is growing recognition that what worked in the past is not effective in a global economy. In place of traditional approaches to rural development, there is an emerging consensus that we must create strategies that enhance regional/place competitiveness. In this paper, we explore this strategy, identify some of its most serious shortcomings, and propose an interactional approach that integrates economic, environmental, and social well-being.