Regional Science and State Rural Policy Research

Abstract

Regional scientists, with their experience investigating social and economic phenomena at different levels of aggregation, awareness of the importance of the role public and private institutions in society, and interdisciplinary tool box, are particularly well suited to provide rural policy advice to state and local governments. In spite of this, there are those who argue that faculty neglect state rural policy (SRP) research. This article explores this question and ties answers and recommendations to incentives faced by faculty and their institutions.