The Rural Monoculture Myth: Rural Realities for Equitable Social Work and Health Professions Practice
- Sponsor
- School of Social Work
- Cost
- $20 for CEUs, $10 without CEUs
- Contact
- Amy Frederick
- aeweber2@illinois.edu
March 13, 2026
12:00-1:30pm
1.5 CEUs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
$20 for CEUs, $10 for no CEUsRural communities are often treated as a monolith in policy design and public discourse: white, agricultural, conservative, and homogeneous. This assumption, the “monoculture myth,” obscures the demographic, economic, and geographic diversity of rural America and contributes to policies that fail rural communities. Compounding this problem, rural policy is rarely made by rural people. This session examines the evidence that challenges the monoculture myth, explores why rural voices are underrepresented in policy development, and distinguishes between consultation and genuine partnership with rural communities. Participants will apply session content to their own areas of practice, identifying assumptions and implications for equitable social work at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.