Return on Investment: Analysis of Higher Education's Ethical Obligation to Rural Communities

• In Event: Rural Student Experiences of College Readiness and College-Going

Abstract

This conceptual analysis explores the risks incurred by aspiring rural college students and their local communities in the pursuit of higher education. Drawing upon empirical evidence in rural sociology and higher education research, this study uses social epistemology as a lens (Morton, 2019; Goldman, 2019) to argue that postsecondary institutions have an ethical obligation to address and mitigate institutional harm posed to rural students and communities. By examining the interdependency of knowledge organizations (academic institutions, students, and communities), this study provides important insight into future community-based approaches to higher education.

Author

• Christine Cain, Iowa State University