Roundup: December 12, 2025
A regular feature of The Rural Review, these roundup posts collect notable recent research, analysis, and related rural news and commentary. Feel free to send suggestions for future collections to us here. And, more details on other opportunities to contribute to The Rural Review can be found here.
Recent Publications
Amanda Norton (Geography and Planning, University of Toronto), Laura Rosella (Epidemiology, University of Toronto), Matthew Adams (Geography, Geomatics, and Environment, University of Toronto Mississauga), and Leith Deacon (Rural Planning and Development, University of Guelph) published COVID-19 in Rural Ontario Communities: Exploring Women’s Mental Health During a Pandemic in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, addressing the research gap in rural mental health.
Rural LGBTQIA+ Youth: A Review of the Literature (2015–2025) by Frederick H. Stephens, Bryan J. Speight (both Social Work, University of North Carolina Pembroke), Aaron M. Kemmerer, Jared R. Clanton, Denise Presnell, and Justus A. Brewington was published in Youth. Their findings revealed that experiences of victimization are closely linked to mental health outcomes. The article explores implications for social work research, practice, and policy.
In Farmers’ Social Capital in Agricultural Decision-Making, published in Rural Sociology, Jennifer Lai (Sociology, University of Vermont), Kristina Beethem, and Sandra T. Marquart-Pyatt (both Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University) explore how farmers’ social capital influences the adoption of conservation practices such as reducing tillage. The article argues for situating farmers within social contexts of wider norms and cultural expectations.
News & Commentary
The latest issue of the North Dakota Bar Association’s magazine, The Gavel, covered recent amendments to the state’s rural attorney recruitment program. The amendments added retention as a goal of the program and expanded program eligibility to counties with 5 or fewer licensed attorneys, meaning that 36 of the state’s 53 counties are now eligible.
A story in Grist covered a board meeting in Jacksonville, Texas, last summer where farmers and ranchers protested water permit applications submitted by two LLCs requesting permission to draw water from the local aquifer. The conflict highlights the role of local governments even in places historically resistant to regulation.
An article from the Boston University School of Public Health explored factors driving rural-area hospital closures across the country, affecting key services like labor and delivery units. Citing national policy shifts like potential Medicaid cuts, the article considers the role of public health in mitigating the disproportionate impact closures have on rural communities.
A USA Today article covered the annual transformation of McAdenville, North Carolina, a rural suburb of Charlotte, into Christmas Town USA. The town’s monthlong celebration, which began with a Yule Log parade and ceremony in 1949, is an example of a community leveraging small-town charm as a key economic driver.
Events & Recordings
The 2026 Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy Symposium, “Where the Pavement Ends: Addressing the Policy Gap in Rural America,” will be held on Friday, February 20, 2026. The symposium will bring together scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to examine the structural and legal challenges confronting rural American communities. Topics will include agricultural regulation, access to justice, rural healthcare and the governance of land, water, and energy resources. Registration opens in January.
The Center for Rural Policy and Development’s podcast, Center of Everywhere, released a new episode exploring rural Minnesota’s labor landscape with a labor analyst from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The episode unpacks the current state of the rural economy, the challenges posed by limited data availability, and research exploring high school graduates’ awareness of local career opportunities. Listen here.
