Urban-Rural Spectrum

MPPS in the news

Biden Wants to Send Billions to Rural America, but This Must Happen First

May 26, 2024 The New York Times

President Biden regularly emphasizes how the major pieces of legislation he has signed — the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act — expand opportunities for Americans. This is especially...

MPPS in the news

Rural Prosperity Summit 2024 Recap

May 23, 2024 MI Office of Rural Prosperity

Over 275 attendees representing 91 rural Michigan communities attended the first-ever Michigan Rural Prosperity Summit on May 20, 2024. The Summit, hosted by the Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity, featured 19 speakers and panelists over 10...

MPPS in the news

What’s in it for rural? Analyzing the opportunities for rural America in IIJA, CHIPS, and IRA

Dec 18, 2023 Brookings

By passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the 117th Congress approved over a trillion dollars in immediate appropriations and nearly $600 billion more in...

In the Media

Ford School hosts talk on uplifting rural communities

Nov 16, 2023 The Michigan Daily

About 60 University of Michigan students and Ann Arbor community members gathered in Weill Hall Wednesday evening to listen to a conversation about rural communities and sustainability in the United States. Hosted by the Center for Local, State, and...

CLOSUP Updates

Virtual Event: The Functioning of Democracy across the Urban-Rural Spectrum

Nov 3, 2020

There is much talk, especially in recent years, about the urban-rural divide: the idea that people from urban and rural places think fundamentally differently about a whole range of policy issues, and about governance itself. This semester, Ford...

Elected Officials’ Perceptions of Civic Discourse with and among Residents across the Urban-Rural Spectrum

June 1, 2021

Kyron Smith

Constructive civic discourse is essential to the productivity of government at all levels. Despite its importance, polarization like that which exists in politics appears to damage constructive discourse and has brought up the question, what...

Privatization of Local Government Services: Understanding Differences Across Michigan’s Urban- Rural Spectrum

June 1, 2021

Kristina Curtiss

For decades, municipalities have taken on numerous tasks that the private sector would have otherwise performed. Privatization of these services, and the way local governments prioritize them, draw into question the functioning of democracy. Be it...

Internet Access and Connectivity across the Urban-Rural Spectrum

May 1, 2021

Julie Rubin

Broadband internet is a faster and more efficient way to access online services and information than traditional dial-up or satellite services. While broadband is becoming increasingly ubiquitous across the United States, there remains a “digital...

Direct Democracy in Action: Comparing Citizen Engagement efforts across the Urban-Rural Spectrum in Michigan

May 1, 2021

Christian Hunter

In American society, citizen engagement is a manifestation of direct democracy at the local government level. Engaging citizens in their community can have positive effects on jurisdictions where it is pursued, but the process can also come with its...