A Critical Systematic Review of Rurality and Higher Education

• In Event: 18.059 - MTCC Roundtable Session Three
  In Roundtable Session: 18.059-9 - Transitions: Understanding Rural Student Experiences

Abstract

This study offers a critical systematic review of rural (higher) education literature from 2000 to present. Drawing upon the reflexivity framework of Pierre Bourdieu, the author interrogates current research practices within this subfield, particularly around the intersection of rural higher education research and policymaking. Preliminary findings suggest that methodological and paradigmatic diversity is a strength of this subfield, but also a challenge. Some geographic areas (such as Appalachia) and some topics (such as educational aspirations) appear overrepresented. Perhaps most importantly, policymaking is rarely addressed in an explicit way and rural higher education studies remain largely relegated to “specialized” rural journals. The author argues that this field structure significantly limits the salience of rural higher education research in recent years.

Author

• Andrew Crain, University of Georgia - Athens