Posts Tagged ‘ReImagineRural’

It’s not easy to ReImagine Rural

October 14th, 2009

Hollowing out the Middle has been gaining attention on the regional and national scale.  The book’s major premise - that rural communities must be more thoughtful in addressing the issue of youth outmigration - is not always well received, but it has been thought provoking. 

I recently listened to a 45 minute interview of Maria J. Kefalas (one of the book’s authors along with Patrick J. Carr) on the “On Point with Tom Ashbrook” show on National Public Radio.   Kefalas was joined on the show by Creighton University Professor Ernie Goss, and Douglas Burns, a columnist for the Daily Times Herald in Carroll, IA.

There’s a lot of good stuff worth listening to on the show, but I thought the best comment was delivered by Kefalas when she stated: 

There’s a growing realization that in order to continue to exist….the old way of life has to cease to exist.  When you are faced with oblivion - or reimagining - and abandoning this cherished way of life, that’s a huge challenge.”

Kefalas used the words “reimaging” numerous times throughout the interview to describe what rural communities should be focused on.  Obviously, those are cherished words at the Rural Learning Center, where “ReImage Rural” is our trademarked tag line. 

In using this language, I think Kefalas recognizes the importance of transformation rather than revitalization as a community development strategy.

Some readers may think I make too big a deal of the difference between the two, but I would disagree.  Revitalization beacons to the past, while transformation speaks to fundamental change.  In other words, transformational strategies will mean “the old way of life has to cease to exist.”

It’s always easier to imagine a future that is based on the known past–rather than reimagining based on an unknown future.  It is time, however, that we stop taking the easy path. 

Past Posts about Hollowing out the Middle

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Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, Gen Y, In the News, Rural | Comments (3)