1. Rural Gentrification?: Social, Cultural, and Economic Change in “Rural” North America

2. Changes in Rural North America Since the 1960s Industrialization of Agriculture Rural Depopulation Aging Demographics Resource Depletion Environmental Conflicts Retirement Economies

3. How Rural Land Markets Work “Highest and best use” Modest competition and relative stability Minimal role of “speculator-developers” Changing role of state actors Role of finance capital Real estate agents/brokers Minimal role for builders Appraiser, title companies, others

4. Rural “Rent-Gaps” Rural vs. urban investment and consequences for rural areas The emergence of “rent-gaps” Narrowing of gaps in urban areas matched by widening in some rural areas? Changes in the nature of demand (economic restructuring, social movements, new demographics)

5. Example and Interlinkages: Selective “Rural Gentrification” Expansion of markets for retirement property, hobby farms, etc. Pre-existing geography of environmental amenities Proximity to population centers Preservation rather than development Non-traditional class and cross-class conflicts and alliances

6. Rural Gentrification and Rural Cultural Change Types of areas impacted (accessibility vs. inaccessibility) New labor economies Place-based environmental politics Geographies of exclusion and insularity Commodification of nature Commodification of lifestyle Change in rural landscape & culture

7. Types of Areas Impacted

8. New Labor Economies

9. Place-Based Environmental Politics

10. Geographies of Exclusion and Insularity

11. Commodification of Nature

12. Commodification of Lifestyle

13. Change in Rural Landscape and Culture

14. Conclusions Rural gentrification is selective and highly class- based Unusual cross-class alliances have been crucial in facilitating the process Old economies have been fetishized and commodified New economies rely on cultures of environmental preservation and exclusions based on market processes + (in)accessibility

15. Could it Happen Here? Does northern Minnesota feature the conditions necessary for rural gentrification to happen? Would it be a good thing if it did happen? Is it already happening??? DISCUSS!!!