What is the meaning of "rural" in the highly interconnected global economies of the 21st Century? This masterful book addresses this question and several others by bringing together, in a single edited collection, the most up-to-date research on global rural demographic issues and trends possible. The editors are to be congratulated, first, for structuring a thoughtful and comprehensive set of highly relevant themes and, second, for recruiting a first-rate team of rural experts to share their latest research and insights. The book will appeal both to the rural practitioner and the specialist researcher/teacher for years to come. Paul R. Voss University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill This handbook is a major contribution to rural demography, at a time of growing interest and activity in this field. The breadth in terms of topics and subjects represents a broad view of rural demography, covering relevant scholarship in the US and across the globe. An important and comprehensive work, this handbook should have a major impact on the continuing strength and growth of this aspect of demography. Glenn V. Fuguitt University of Wisconsin-Madison