Rurality and patterns of social disruption

Extract: Previous research leaves many questions to be answered about the effects of rurality on rates of serious social disruptions. The premise of this study is that rurality affects opportunities for disruption in social interaction. Further, it is argued that structural cleavages provoke disruptions where opportunities are conducive. The combinations of rurality with particular structura cleavages, therefore, predict specific patterns of disruption. Findings of a canonical analysis, with data for counties of the northeastern United States, show that rurality, in combination with other population characteristics, affects the rates of nonlethal violence, homicide, suicide, and divorce. The most generalized pattern includes a low rate of nonlethal violence and high rates of homicide, suicide, and divorce. An understanding of patterns of disruption in modern society can be enhanced by focusing on the effects of rurality.