The Case for Rural America

J. Tom Mueller

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Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

The University of North Carolina Press
21 October 2025

Rural communities; Central government policies; Political economy

Series: Rural Studies Series

Rural America is at a crossroads: either it will manage to sustain itself long-term, or—as current trends suggest—it will continue to disappear through depopulation and urbanization.

There have been calls for economic redevelopment, but even with these proposals, J. Tom Mueller argues that policymakers, politicians, and academics rarely make a clear case for why rural America matters and is worth saving in the first place. In this provocative book, Mueller meets these issues head-on by presenting a critique of conventional economic development efforts while also articulating why rural America is worthy of preservation.

The Case for Rural America outlines the actions necessary to save our rural places and the people who live there. By suggesting approaches that would benefit urban populations as well as rural—such as establishing a universal basic income and implementing single-payer healthcare—Mueller offers a nuanced understanding of the complex needs of rural America while providing solutions that would benefit us all.

By: J. Tom Mueller
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 25mm, Spine: 155mm
ISBN: 9781469691527
ISBN 10: 1469691523
Series: Rural Studies Series
Pages: 192
Publication Date: 21 October 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

J. Tom Mueller is assistant professor of population health and director of the Kansas Center for Rural Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center.