As David Kennedy points out in his foreword, the West was once seen as a beacon of opportunity, and it is still a place where many ways of life can flourish. But it is also a region that leaves some people isolated both culturally and geographically. The essays collected here, the results of a 2012 conference, consider the problems and prospects of the rural West and its residents.

The issues are considered in four sections—Defining the Rural West, Community, Economy, and Land Use— each with an introduction by editor David Danbom. They highlight factors that set the region apart from the rest of the country and provide varied perspectives on challenges faced by those living in often remote areas, including the shortcomings of rural health care, disagreements about theuse of natural resources, conflicts over water, and cultural divides within communities.

Fresh, informative, and insightful examinations of the complex problems facing the rural West, these essays will spur conversations and the search for solutions.

Foreword by: David Kennedy