Rural Sociology in an International Context. Papers on the State of Rural Sociology in Selected Areas.

Published in order to further a better understanding of how work in the field of rural sociology is carried on in various places, the six papers describe pedagogical and research activities relating to the sociological concern for rural people in West Africa, Brazil, Iran, the Middle East, Japan, and India. Each paper describes the evolution of rural sociology in one of the six areas, the nature of that area's rural society, the institutions in the area which can or do teach and/or undertake pertinent social research, and the current status of rural sociology in the area. In addition, "The Development of Rural Sociology in West Africa" and "Position of Rural Sociology in India" note problems with personnel training and "Rural Sociology in Japan: Milestones in Development" critically compares contemporary Japanese rural sociology with the discipline in other countries. "Rural Sociology in Brazil" notes a trend toward urban studies, while "History and Development of Rural and Peasant Studies in Iran" outlines many early village studies. "State of Agricultural Social Science and Related Fields in Selected Countries of the ECWA Region" assesses the related but generally insufficient academic offerings of 42 national universities and other educational institutions in 12 Middle East countries. (SB)