This website is devoted to making the history of

the Rural Sociological Society and rural sociology more accessible.

Additions and suggestions are always welcome!

RSS

Oral History Project

The RSS Oral History Project is a collective effort to capture the memories, recollections, and insights of members of the Rural Sociological Society. 

In particular, three goals form the focus of the project:

(1) to develop a sense of where rural sociology has been, what progress it has made, and where it is heading;

(2) to compare past challenges/issues/opportunities with those of today; and

(3) to develop a better understanding of the relationship between sociology and rural sociology.

 

While the initial focus has been on interviewing past presidents, all interviews are welcome. 

In addition to past Presidents of RSS, those in other leadership positions should also be interviewed (ie. Treasurer/Executive Director,

Editors of Rural Sociology, Editors of The Rural Sociologist, etc).

Interviews Conducted (last updated: Feb. 2012)

Person Interviewed	Interviewer
C. Milton Coughenour	Jess Kropczynski
James A. Christenson	Lori Garkovich
Olaf Larson	Julie Zimmerman
Jan Flora	Brent Hales
Bill Heffernan	Gill Gillespie
Cornelia Flora	Cynthia Struthers
Lou Swanson	Lori Garkovich
David Brown	Julie Zimmerman
Bo Beaulieu	Lori Garkovich
Jan Bokemeir	Cynthia Struthers
Ann Tickamyer	Lisa Pruitt
Ron Wimberley	Roz Harris
Bill Lacy	Lisa Pruitt
Larry Busch	Ray Jussaume
Gerald Klonglan	Peggy Petrzelka

 Planned Interviews (last updated: Feb 2012)

Person to be Interviewed	Interviewer
Linda Lobao	Lisa Pruitt
Shannon Stokes	Clair Hinrichs
Archie Haller	Joachim Singelmann
Glenn Fuguitt	David Brown
Don Field	Rick Krannich
Jess Gilbert	Julie Keller
Carolyn Sachs	JoAnn Jaffe
Rabel Burge	Julie Zimmerman
Bill Friedland	Michael Schulman
Gene Summers	Mark Harvey

Project Background

The RSS Oral History Project was initiated by Joachim Singelmann, President of the Rural Sociological Society (2009-2010).  Initially conceived in December 2009, Joachim sought to have captured the memories and recollections of past presidents of the Society, their contributions, as well as the context in which the scholars worked. 

 

A key aim in developing the project was an interest in the evolution and development of rural sociology as a specialty area of sociology, but also the development of rural sociology as an organization – particularly for past presidents who worked in the South since rural sociology there often was the vanguard of the establishment of general sociology at land-grant institutions.

 

 

For more information, or to sign up to conduct one of the interviews, contact:

Julie N. Zimmerman

RSS Historian

Associate Professor, Rural Sociology

Dept. of Community and Leadership Development, University of Kentucky

jzimm@email.uky.edu

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