"Rural Justice"
2026 Annual Meeting
July 30 – August 2, 2026 in Raleigh, NC
The 2026 Annual Meeting is here — click below to see the full program and plan your schedule
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RSS Annual Meeting Is Almost Here –
Here’s What to Look Forward To
Dear RSS Community,
The countdown is on—we are just weeks away from welcoming you to the Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting in Raleigh!
We are excited to bring together scholars, researchers, and practitioners from across the field for a few days of connection, conversation, and inspiration.
This year’s meeting is shaping up to be a truly engaging experience. You can look forward to:
Research & Scholarship
- Dynamic sessions and presentations highlighting the latest research in rural sociology
Community & Networking
- Research Interest Groups, networking events, and informal meetups
Signature Events
- Presidential Reception
- Student & New Member Breakfast
- Celebrating RSS Reception.
Culture & Experience
- A welcoming and inclusive environment where new and returning attendees can find their community and “intellectual home”
Whether this is your first RSS meeting or one of many, we encourage you to take full advantage of everything the conference offers—attend sessions outside your usual focus, introduce yourself to someone new, and make time to engage with the broader community.
A few quick reminders as you prepare:
• Review the conference schedule and plan your must-attend sessions
• Confirm your travel and hotel arrangements
• Update your profile in the conference app
• Come ready to learn, connect, and have fun
We are incredibly grateful to have you as part of this community and look forward to seeing you soon in Raleigh.
Safe travels, and get ready for a fantastic meeting!
Warm regards,
The RSS Business Office
Suzanne Bevan
Executive Director
sbevan@ruralsociology.org
Ashley Smedley
Account Representative
asmedley@ruralsociology.org
Food at the Annual Meeting
Some of you have noticed that our food offerings at recent Annual Meetings have varied, so we wanted to share what you can expect in Raleigh.
All guests staying at the Embassy Suites receive a complimentary breakfast each morning, so you'll start the day well fed. With the RSS food and beverage budget, we are prioritizing food at receptions and a taco bar lunch on Saturday, where members can connect and socialize.
To make the best use of limited Society resources, we will not be providing snacks during the morning and afternoon coffee breaks. Conference venue pricing makes these items surprisingly expensive, and we feel our resources are better directed elsewhere.
If you enjoy having snacks throughout the day, please plan ahead by grabbing a piece of fruit at breakfast, or packing a few favorites in your suitcase. We appreciate your understanding as we balance a positive meeting experience with responsible stewardship of RSS resources.
Additional resources for food can be found here: Food Options
We’re Excited to See You in Raleigh!
Help us share the power of membership and share what being a member means to you.
During the conference, we’ll be inviting attendees to record short smartphone videos sharing their experiences and the value they’ve found through membership. Whether you record solo or with colleagues, we’d love for you to participate!
We’ll have a dedicated space at the conference, complete with props and easy prompts to help spark ideas. Simply stop by, choose a prompt, record your clip, and upload it to our shared cloud folder (don’t worry–we’ll have instructions)!
Our prompts may include:
- “Why does membership matter to you?”
- “What’s the biggest benefit you’ve gained from being a member?”
- “What keeps you coming back to this community?”
Can’t make it to Raleigh? No problem.
You can use one of those prompts to record a short video (30 seconds to 1 minute) and share it via your computer using the link below. Simply drag and drop the video in or click the “new” button in the upper left-hand corner. Select “file upload” and then choose your file!
From your phone, click the link, and if you have the Google Drive app, it will open it. Click the “plus” button in the lower right-hand corner. Then select the video you would like to upload.
If you don’t have the Google Drive app, the link will open the folder in your web browser. You can then follow the computer instructions.
We can’t wait to hear your voice and celebrate the impact of our member community together!
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2026 Annual Meeting Welcome Guide
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Show Us Your Membership Moment
Help us share the power of membership and share what being a member means to you.
During the conference, we’ll be inviting attendees to record short smartphone videos sharing their experiences and the value they’ve found through membership.
We’ll have a dedicated space at the conference, complete with props and easy prompts to help spark ideas. Simply stop by, choose a prompt, record your clip, and upload it to our shared cloud folder (don’t worry–we’ll have instructions)!
Stop by our “photo booth” to record a quick video, take silly pictures with your colleagues and friends, and share the joy that brings you to our conference!
RSS Natural Resources RIG –
2026 Annual Meeting
We will host our Natural Resources RIG meeting on Thursday, July 30th at 6:30 pm at the Crooked Hammock Brewery (https://www.crookedhammockbrewery.com/locations/raleigh).
Looks like it has a good range of beverages (including NA options) snacks, and more substantial food.
Our annual meeting is a chance to get to know each other, share learnings, and celebrate our fellow members’ achievements through our student awards and our William R. Fruedenburg Award of Merit.
When? Thursday, July 30th - Meeting starts at 6:30 pm
- If you want to try to carpool/get shared lyft/uber rides, meet in the lobby of the hotel at 6:10pm
Where? Crooked Hammock Brewery, 4501 Edwards Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27612
- This is about a 15 minute drive for the conference hotel
For questions, reach out to co-chairs Kelly Wilson (kellyrwilson@missouri.edu) and Josh Fergen (ferge176@d.umn.edu).
We hope to see you there!
JEDI Lounge Space
"Do you ever find yourself at a conference wanting to take a quick break? Or walking out of a stimulating session wanting to share your thoughts? The Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee has put together a Rural Justice-themed interactive lounge where you can step away from stimulation or into conversation.
We invite you to engage with our interactive lounge space, provided at this year's RSS Meeting in Raleigh, NC. This is a casual space, where you can unwind or engage in discussions related to the contemporary political climate, our work as rural sociologists, and other JEDI-related topics. Whether you're interested in sharing your own thoughts, reading others' responses, or simply want a place to relax, we encourage you to visit the space."
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Plenary Speakers at Annual Meeting |
We are excited to recognize an additional plenary speaker that will be joining us at our annual meeting! Meet Cynthia Wallace -
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Cynthia Wallace lives in Charlotte, NC, and was raised in rural southeastern GA. She is the Executive Director of New Rural Project, which she co-founded in April 2021. The organization focuses on amplifying the voices of rural young people and marginalized residents in North Carolina to increase their civic and electoral engagement. She has over 25 years in financial services, retiring from Synchrony (formerly GE Capital) after two decades. Cynthia was the 2020 Democratic Nominee for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. Appointed in early 2021 to the NC State Banking Commission by Governor Cooper, she served until Governor Stein appointed her to the Rural Electrification Authority in July 2025. She also serves on the boards of Democracy NC and the Levine Museum of the New South. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Spelman College and a master’s degree in Statistics from the University of North Florida. |
The 2026 Annual Meeting will bring together leading scholars and public voices whose work speaks directly to the complexities of rural life, democracy, and justice. This year’s plenary sessions highlight the intersections of law, politics, and moral leadership, offering members a rich set of perspectives on the challenges and possibilities facing rural communities today. |
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Professor Lauren Sudeall, David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law at Vanderbilt University Law School, will give the Thursday plenary address titled, “The Perils and Promise of ‘Rural Justice." Sudeall has written extensively on access to justice, including about her empirical research on rural-urban differences in navigating eviction proceedings in Georgia. She directs the Vanderbilt Access to Justice (AtJ) Initiative. |
Call For Diversity Auction Items
The RSS Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee requests your assistance with a Silent Auction to be held during the 88th Annual Meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina. All funds raised will support JEDI Travel Grants and diversity and equity-related programming for the 89th Annual Meeting to be held in Kansas City, Missouri.
We need your help! Specifically, we need you or your department to donate items for the Silent Auction. In past years, the most popular items have been those that were handmade or that symbolized the creativity and skills of rural Americans. Baskets containing foods, wines, or other products from your state or region are also popular. A surprising number of local businesses such as jewelry stores are willing to donate items, and we encourage you to solicit such donations whenever possible. Please keep this in mind as you visit local festivals, farmers' markets, and other community-related events. Perhaps, even consider bringing a donation card already set up that might provide monies to local shelters (animal, human). These are just a few ideas to consider as you are out and about during spring and summer!
This year's auction will also include a special section for author-signed copies of RSS members' books. If you are a book author, we would love to include a signed copy of your book and ask that you consider bringing one to donate.
Please plan to bring the donated item or items with you to the RSS Annual Meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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Whova Conference App
We are excited to share that the Rural Sociological Society will be using Whova as our official mobile app for the 2026 Annual Meeting. Whova will house the full program, speaker details, room locations, announcements, and real‑time updates throughout the conference. Download the app and login in using your RSS registered email address.
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Publishing Articles as Open Access with Wiley |
Publishing articles as Open Access increases the visibility and accessibility of your research. Our flagship journal, Rural Sociology, supports Open Access publishing. However, many authors express concern about the cost of Open Access. Our publisher, Wiley, has completed institutional agreements with many universities and colleges that allow their faculty, staff, and students to publish their papers as Open Access at no or reduced cost. Consult Wiley’s site to see if your institution participates in such an agreement. For additional information, we encourage you to contact your institution’s library or related office.
The Graduate Student Corner highlights the work, experiences, and achievements of RSS graduate student members. Each month, we feature students at different stages of their programs, showcasing their research, professional pathways, and connections to rural sociology. This space is designed to strengthen graduate student visibility within RSS, foster community, and support emerging scholars as they navigate research, teaching, and the academic and applied job markets.
Graduate students interested in being featured are encouraged to reach out to the RSS Graduate Student Representatives.
Joshua Grove: jggrove@syr.edu
Ayse Akyildiz: aqa6158@psu.edu
RSS News & Announcements Submission Page
Members now have a dedicated space to share opportunities, updates, and accomplishments with the RSS community. The News & Announcements page features calls for submissions, events, jobs, funding opportunities, and “Members in the News” highlights. If you have an announcement to share, you can now submit it directly through the site—helping us keep the community informed and connected throughout the year.
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Raleigh, North Carolina
A visit to Raleigh, N.C., is more than a trip to just any big city; visitors will experience kindness, charm and local flair with unique Southern hospitality that promises elevated experiences! Raleigh stands as North Carolina’s hub of intellect, culture, cuisine and innovation.
This cool capital city offers diverse experiences in food, live music, sports, arts and scenic outdoors—it’s an approachable, inviting and thriving destination for all.
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Discover RSS on LinkedIn!
Follow the Rural Sociological Society to connect with peers, explore rural research, and stay updated on events and opportunities.
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