A New Deal for Farmers and Social Scientists: The Politics of Rural Sociology in the Depression Era

Though many commentators on the history & intellectual development of US Ru sociology make assertions about the nature & importance of the discipline's institutional context, few have explored these institutions in any detail. Findings of such an exploration for the Depression era lead to conclusions that challenge much current opinion. Most importantly, the conservative & atheoretical tendencies of post-WWII Ru sociology are not the result of its applied nature per se. In fact, populist reformers in New Deal agencies who were engaged in "applied" Ru sociology promoted a rethinking & politicization of the discipline in the 1930s -- with the support of the agencies employing them. In this light, neither the fact that Ru sociologists are usually employed by the government nor their belief structures & career aspirations can account for the postwar intellectual stagnation of the discipline. Rather, retreat from New Deal liberalism & the elimination of reformist employment opportunities for Ru sociologists must be seen as a central cause. Implications for today's practitioners -- especially those calling for reorientation of the discipline -- are discussed. Ru sociology is intrinsically politicized, & intellectual endeavors within it will be shaped by broader struggles in the political economy. 4 Tables, 52 References. Modified HA.