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Children of the Land

Adversity and Success in Rural America

Rand D Conger author Glen H Elder, Jr author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:The University of Chicago Press

Published:2nd Sep '14

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Children of the Land cover

In Children of the Land, Glen H. Elder Jr. and Rand D. Conger ask whether traditional observations about farm families - strong intergenerational ties, productive roles for youth in work and social leadership, dedicated parents, and a network of positive engagement in church, school, and community life-apply to three hundred Iowa children who grew up with some tie to the land during the agricultural crisis of the 1980s, a time of widespread farm bankruptcies and factory closings. The answer, they show, is a resounding yes. A moving testament to the distinctly positive lifestyle of rural Midwestern families with connections to the land, this uplifting book also suggests important routes to success for youth in other high risk settings.

"What is it about 'ties to the land' that influences the development of young people? The answers the authors provide are not only analytically compelling, but they reveal invaluable insights for solving many of the problems facing our urban and suburban school communities as they struggle to provide meaningful environments for socializing and educating our adolescents into productive adults." (American Journal of Sociology) "A welcome corrective to the literature on development, which has focused almost exclusively on metropolitan areas.... Through their careful connection of life choices to life chances in historical context, the authors offer a model of sociological inquiry worthy of emulation." (Social Forces)"

ISBN: 9780226212531

Dimensions: 23mm x 15mm x 2mm

Weight: 567g

394 pages