How the Rural West is Different

The western region of the United States is different from the rest of the country in many ways, and the same can be said about the rural West.  Distances are more vast, populations are more sparse, and water is more scarce.... [ view full abstract ]

The western region of the United States is different from the rest of the country in many ways, and the same can be said about the rural West.  Distances are more vast, populations are more sparse, and water is more scarce. The federal government holds and manages a much larger percentage of land in the West than in other parts of the nation.  This panel will take the opportunity of the RSS's Annual Meeting in the West--an infrequent event--to explore these western differences from a multidisciplinary perspective with a conversation among experts touching on demography, geography, natural resources, history, local government, politics, and the presence of Indian Country and a significant American Indian population.  This panel will thus provide an overview for and complement other panels in the day-long Best of the West Mini-Conference.

Presenters:

• Paul Larmer, Publisher, High Country News, plarmer@hcn.org
• Geoff McGhee, Bill Lane Center/Stanford, geoff.mcghee@stanford.edu
• Michelle Wilde Anderson, Professor of Law, Stanford University, manderson@law.stanford.edu

Best of the West - Session 2

Moderator: Lisa Pruitt