Remaking the Heartland

Honorable Mention for the 2011 PROSE Award in Sociology & Social Work, Association of American Publishers "Well-respected sociologist Wuthnow interweaves interviews, diaries and memoirs, and census data into a series of case studies to describe a region that is thriving in the new economy, primarily because of culture and institutions... [Remaking the Heartland] is well-written, documented, and argued."--Choice "Anyone interested in the economic development of the Midwest and a counterintuitive approach to the region's future should read Wuthnow's account, which can, once again, spur us to take the region's history seriously."--Jon Lauck, Omaha World-Herald "[Remaking the Heartland] is a well-written, detailed, and persuasive account of change in the region."--J. L. Anderson, American Historical Review "Wuthnow provides a much needed and refreshing look into the assumptions that Middle America, especially small-town Middle America, is dying or at worst already lost to modern, urban society."--Michelle Meyer Lueck, Rural Sociology "The book is as much history as social science, and the writing flows seamlessly from personal observation to archival material, and from case studies to broad generalization. The total package is impressive: insights from some two hundred in-depth interviews supplemented by information from local newspapers, company reports, and an original content analysis of changing values via the Farm Journal magazine. Wuthnow is also a skilled writer who displays just the right blend of affection and detachment while leading readers through a nuanced story."--James R. Shortridge, Material Culture "We are fortunate to have a social scientist and historian with the stature of Robert Wuthnow undertake the sort of study that draws on oral history interviews, newspaper accounts, census data and broad cultural histories and interpretations. Wuthnow adds a new perspective on rural life and culture... What saves the book from statistical overload is the way interviews with particular people demonstrate the impact of the data; especially good are the interviews in which interviewees describe the change they have seen over their lifetime, usually four or five decades."--Shannon Jung, Christian Century "This study deserves, even requires, multiple readings to fully appreciate its contribution to our knowledge about the Midwest. Historians and other scholars of the region will find it informative and useful."--R. Douglas Hurt, Kansas History "Readers interested in a comprehensive overview of the recent socio-economic history of America's heartland will find its wealth of data a valuable source of information."--Wibke Schniedermann, Journal of American Studies of Turkey

Robert Wuthnow is the Gerhard R. Andlinger '52 Professor of Social Sciences at Princeton University. His many books include Red State Religion and America and the Challenges of Religious Diversity (both Princeton).

List of Tables vii Preface ix Introduction 1 Chapter One: Here in the Middle 7 Chapter Two: Recovering from the Great Depression 22 Chapter Three: Reinventing the Rustic Life 57 Chapter Four: Education in Middle America 92 Chapter Five: The Decline of Small Communities 126 Chapter Six: The Changing Face of Agribusiness 171 Chapter Seven: From Towns to Sprawling Suburbs 214 Afterword 254 Appendix 261 Notes 285 Selected Bibliography 335 Index 349