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EnglishWhat Are the Shared Values of the Rural Sociological Society?
Updated
The Rural Sociological Society (RSS) states its shared values directly on its website: rigorous scholarship, free inquiry, civil discourse, and social inclusion. Alongside those four values, the Society affirms the dignity and rights of all people and commits to supporting all rural people and places. These principles are presented as the foundation for its broader goal of fostering impactful scholarship that aims to shape policy and support vibrant rural futures.
The Four Stated Values
The RSS describes itself as grounded in these values:
- Rigorous scholarship — the Society frames its work around the generation, application, and dissemination of social scientific knowledge.
- Free inquiry — open intellectual investigation is treated as a baseline condition for that scholarship.
- Civil discourse — discussion among members is expected to be conducted respectfully.
- Social inclusion — the Society positions inclusion as a value, not just a practice.
Commitments That Follow From the Values
The values page language extends into two explicit commitments:
- Affirming the dignity and rights of all people. This is stated as a collective affirmation rather than a policy position on any specific issue.
- Supporting all rural people and places. The commitment is framed broadly — not limited by geography, population, or topic area.
How the Values Connect to RSS Activities
The Society ties these principles to three core activities named on its site:
| Activity | What the site says it does |
|---|---|
| Peer-reviewed journal (Rural Sociology) | Advances rural studies through published research |
| Annual conference | Connects members to share and collaborate |
| Research and Interest Groups (RIGs) | Focused communities on specific rural topics |
The stated purpose running through all three is leadership in scholarship, informing policies, and advocacy for rural people and places.
Who the Values Are Meant to Serve
RSS describes its membership as bringing together researchers, practitioners, extension experts, students, and advocates. The values are presented as the shared ground for that mixed group, and the Society says it seeks to enhance the quality of rural life, communities, and the environment in North America and elsewhere.
What the Values Statement Does Not Specify
The website text does not define how the values are enforced, how disputes over "civil discourse" or "inclusion" are handled, or what concrete policy positions follow from them. If you need those details — for example, to decide whether to join or to cite RSS in research — the values statement alone won't answer them; the journal, conference, and RIG pages are the next places to look.