How does concentrated economic power shape the possibilities and limits of democratic engagement in rural America? Vertically integrated agribusiness, declining labor competition, and financialized land and other markets have consolidated rural economic life, altering not only the distribution of economic rewards but also the foundations of civic participation and local governance.
What can we learn about democracy in rural contexts?
April 24, 2026
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
Rural Democracy and the Concentration of Economic Power: Research Roundtable and Workshop
This interdisciplinary research roundtable and workshop will convene scholars from around the country to consider complex issues of concentrated economic power and its impact on rural democracy in the modern era. Sample participants include:
Loka Ashwood, Professor of Community and Environmental Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Hiba Hafiz, Associate Professor and McHale Faculty Research Scholar, Boston College Law
Brian Highsmith, Assistant Professor, UCLA School of Law
Jessica A. Shoemaker, Distinguished Professor of Law, University of Nebraska College of Law