The Rural Monoculture Myth: Rural Realities for Equitable Social Work Practice (Non-CE)

Overview

Rural communities are often treated as a monolith in policy design and public discourse: white, agricultural, conservative, and homogeneous. This assumption, the "monoculture myth," obscures the demographic, economic, and geographic diversity of rural America and contributes to policies that fail rural communities. Compounding this problem, rural policy is rarely made by rural people. This session examines the evidence that challenges the monoculture myth, explores why rural voices are underrepresented in policy development, and distinguishes between consultation and genuine partnership with rural communities. Participants will apply session content to their own areas of practice, identifying assumptions and implications for equitable social work at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.

Objectives

1. Identify the "monoculture myth" about rural America and describe demographic, economic, and geographic evidence that challenges assumptions of rural homogeneity.
2. Distinguish between consultation and partnership approaches to rural policy development, and explain the consequences of excluding rural voices from policy design.
3. Apply session content to the participant's own area of practice by identifying one assumption about rural communities relevant to their micro, mezzo, or macro social work role, and articulating an implication for equitable practice.

Registration and CE Information

• This listing is for those not needing CEs.
• Please see the CE version if you need CEs for this event
• The live webinar will be held March 13, 2026, from 12:00pm - 1:30pm
• Once registered, you will be able to access the course site to complete the Zoom registration to receive the link for the webinar.

Presenter: Annie Contractor

Through AB Contractor, LLC, Annie Contractor partners with mission-driven businesses, nonprofits, foundations, and public agencies on policy strategy, stakeholder engagement, and equity-centered research. Annie’s work spans rural economic and community development, childcare and education policy, and participatory governance, with a focus on ensuring that policy decisions are informed by the people they affect.

With 20+ years of experience in policy research and community organizing, Annie has led stakeholder engagement for federal legislation, developed policy playbooks for states, designed community-based research protocols, and published peer-reviewed scholarship on housing justice and environmental equity.