ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a synopsis of the current state of the family in rural society and reviews a wide range of trends and changes in family structure and process as they are reflected in sociodemographic data. It examines the phenomenon of the declining number of family farms and discusses the "new wave' of inmigrants to rural communities. The book illustrates the complexity and variety of patterns and forms reflected in families in rural society and explores the relationship between residence and interaction with kin. It presents a reconceptualization of the construct of familism and also explores the dynamics of family life within selected "cultural islands" in rural America. The book describes a comprehensive review of the literature available on key variables associated with marital and family relations in rural families.
