Rural/Non-Rural Determination for Federal Subsistence Management in Alaska; Analysis of Economic and Community Infrastructure Variables Relatives to the Determination of Rurality.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This report presents alternative methodologies for identifying rural and non-rural areas for federal subsistence management in Alaska. The report develops two alternative methodologies for distinguishing rural and non-rural populations in Alaska for federal subsistence management. The methodologies use measures drawn from the federal decennial census and the State of Alaska’s harvest records, among other relevant data sources. An overriding goal of the project was to use a minimal number of criteria that clearly, effectively, and defensibly distinguish between rural and non-rural populations. The two methodologies are tested on a selection of Alaska communities. It is the final report for the project, Rural/Non-Rural Determinations for Federal Subsistence Management in Alaska (Contract No. 701811CO58), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region.Date
2002Publisher
Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska.Type
ReportCollections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Perspectives on sexual assault and domestic violence in rural Alaskan communitiesHayden, Katheryn S.; Ehrlander, Mary F.; McCartney, Leslie; Charles, Walkie (2018-05)Alaska's rate of reported sexual assault is nearly three times the national average, and underreporting may be as high as 70 percent. In rural communities, the rates of both sexual and domestic violence are higher still. Through oral history methodology my research explores how survivors, elders, and professionals view the issues surrounding this violence in remote communities. My findings highlight the interconnectedness of social problems, and the conditions within rural Alaskan communities that hinder reducing these problems. The variables associated with sexual and domestic violence that my respondents highlighted include: alcohol abuse, multigenerational trauma, lack of funding for services, isolation, and normalization of sexual assault and domestic violence. Based on my analysis of the interviews, I have suggested recommendations that I believe are attainable for professional offices in rural Alaska, and that may help them provide better quality services to their communities. These recommendations include: 1) social abuse and crisis training for rural paraprofessionals; 2) socio-cultural training for frontline professional workers, to educate them not only on the history of the region in which they work, but also on the interconnected and long-lasting effects of sexual and domestic violence; and 3) improved communication between rural Alaskan communities and the state agencies that serve them, possibly via a cultural liaison. I also urge public and rural education initiatives, both in schools and to the public at large, regarding the long term, complex, and multigenerational effects of sexual and domestic violence and alcohol abuse.
-
How does improved access to clean water impact rural communities? Evaluating impact of water projects in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam district in GhanaSam, Josephine-Mary O.; Todd, Susan; Anahita, Sine; Shapiro, Lewis; Chapin, F. Stuart III (2011-12)Research has shown that rural water programs benefit communities by promoting women's empowerment, and improving children's education and the health of residents. However, the tendency for such programs to be short-lived (as water pumps break down and villages are unable to repair them) erodes any benefits and sets villages back on the path toward using unsafe and inconvenient water sources. The incidence of failed rural water projects has prompted calls for a more holistic approach to addressing rural water supply issues. Two development organizations, the Nyarkoa Foundation (NF) and the Rural Education and Development Program (REDEP), implemented a water program in villages located in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District of Central Region, Ghana, where earlier water programs had been unsuccessful. Using a new approach, the program focused on gender-sensitive planning, financing for maintenance and participatory governance. Through interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation, this study evaluates the impacts of the NF/REDEP water program in two villages, Ofosu and Awordo. Findings showed that improved access to clean water enhanced economic opportunities for women and children's education in both villages. There was also evidence that equitable and participatory decision-making engendered cooperation and efficient management of the water program, while exclusionist policy making led to apathy and noncompliance. However, the combined usage of the water pumps with unprotected water sources threatened to negate its health benefits, while the absence of effective women's involvement in the management of the program raised questions about its capacity to truly empower women. These findings reveal the need for increased sensitization on the risks of using unsafe water and a review of the program management approach.
-
Using work-based learning as a vehicle for student engagement and community investmentStickle, Stephanie; Gifford, Valerie; Dahl, Heather; Simpson, Joni (2017-05)Research indicates that rural communities with few labor market opportunities are at increased risk for social and economic unsustainability. As such, high-potential rural students often believe they must leave their homes for more populated areas with superior labor markets in order to obtain fulfilling employment, success, and life satisfaction. This out-migration trend places rural communities at risk for losing the youth that are most likely to contribute to their sustainability and growth. Rural education has been identified as a promising and central means to counter this risk. Effective work-based learning curriculums, which incorporate student engagement and talent development components, may facilitate school engagement, entrepreneurial interest, community involvement, intrinsic satisfaction, and extrinsic success among rural students, thus contributing to community investment.