As David Kennedy points out in his foreword, the West was once seen as a beacon of opportunity, and it is still a place where many ways of life can flourish. But it is also a region that leaves some people isolated both culturally and geographically. The essays collected here, the results of a 2012 conference, consider the problems and prospects of the rural West and its residents. The issues are considered in four sections-Defining the Rural West, Community, Economy, and Land Use- each with an introduction by editor David Danbom. They highlight factors that set the region apart from the rest of the country and provide varied perspectives on challenges faced by those living in often remote areas, including the shortcomings of rural health care, disagreements about theuse of natural resources, conflicts over water, and cultural divides within communities. Fresh, informative, and insightful examinations of the complex problems facing the rural West, these essays will spur conversations and the search for solutions.
David B. Danbom is the Fargo Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Professor Emeritus at North Dakota State University, USA, where he taught for 36 years. He has authored six books, most recently Born in the Country: A History of Rural America and Sod Busting: How Families Made Farms on the 19th-Century Plains.
"Bridging the Distance is an intriguing book that approaches the problems and concerns of isolated western communities from a variety of perspectives. It is highly recommended for interested readers and post-secondary classroom use, especially for courses in history, political science, and community planning. This collection is a welcome corrective to the assumption that urban spaces have a monopoly on all that is interesting and useful in America." --South Dakota History "Several stellar essays detail the social, cultural, economic, political, and technological structures that perpetuate tensions [in the rural West]." --Pacific Northwest Quarterly "The multidiscipline case study approach effectively conveys the complexity of the region. Furthermore, every one of the essays directly relates to the issue of distance. Readers learn how rural westerners overcame some problems associated with distance and how they failed to resolve many other problems. Scholars interested in addressing common issues of the Midwest should pay close attention to Bridging the Distance and draw inspiration from its success." --Middle West Review "This book represents current thinking across a variety of disciplines regarding the rural West. It is up-to-date and offers a fresh look at current challenges facing the region. By combining data with thoughtful reflections and proposals the book provides a foundation for further investigation and discussion." --Brian Q. Cannon, co-editor of Immigration to the Far West and co-author of The Awkward State of Utah: Coming of Age in the Nation, 1896-1945
