Conference Theme
Social and political unease surrounding wide differences in regional economic performance has troubled Americans for more than a generation. Job losses due to international trade and automation, coupled with rapid urbanization, have had especially dramatic effects on small cities, towns, and rural communities. While geographic variation in economic growth is not new, it appears more pronounced today than in the recent past.
Recent research suggests that many of these places are at increased risk of job loss, population decline, and associated social problems as these trends accelerate in the coming years. Additionally, political turbulence during the 2016 election cycle has led to increased policy interest in nonmetropolitan communities and small cities where these difficulties are most acute. These challenges call for extended scholarly research with a policy or applied focus. Effectively confronting challenges facing nonmetropolitan communities and small cities requires we (1) better understand the many dimensions of vulnerable communities and (2) encourage interaction between academics who study these issues and policymakers who address them.
Best Paper Award
Congratulations to Richard E. Ocejo, who received the Best Paper Award at the 2018 Small Cities Conference for his work, ‘Curate Our Own City’: Constructing and Contesting Visions of Place in a Small City.