Rural-Urban Divide Research Articles

Study on the Development of Higher Education in China Based on Economic Growth and Technological Advancement

This paper investigates the dynamic relationship between higher education, economic growth, and technological advancement in China. As the country has rapidly expanded its higher education system, challenges such as educational disparities, quality inconsistencies, and the limitations of an exam-oriented framework have become increasingly evident. Utilizing a grey prediction model, the study examines how economic and technological developments have both enhanced and complicated the landscape of higher education, exacerbating urban-rural divides and limiting opportunities for critical thinking and creativity. To address these challenges, the paper proposes strategic interventions, including curriculum reform, increased access to higher education, and the adoption of active learning methodologies. These strategies aim to foster a more equitable, innovative, and responsive educational system that aligns with China's long-term developmental objectives. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to navigate the complexities of modernizing China's higher education while ensuring broad-based, sustainable growth.

“Does Digital Education Bridge the Urban-Rural Divide in STEM Education in China? Analyzing Accessibility, Engagement, and Outcomes”

This paper examines the role of digital education in bridging the urban-rural divide in STEM education across China, focusing on accessibility, engagement, and educational outcomes. Despite significant advances in digital infrastructure and educational platforms, rural areas continue to face challenges in access to high-quality STEM education, primarily due to disparities in teacher training, resource availability, and community support. The study highlights the importance of targeted interventions, including improved teacher training, increased parental and community engagement, and tailored educational programs to address these challenges. By analyzing both short-term outcomes and long-term aspirations, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of how digital education can contribute to reducing educational inequities between urban and rural regions in China.

Rural–Urban Divide of COVID-19 Fatalities in India—Investigating the Role of Lifestyle Disorder Diseases

AbstractUsing data on weekly COVID-19 infections and fatalities at the district level for 19 states and 4 union territories of India, we investigate the determinants of COVID-19 deaths focusing exclusively on the second wave of infections. We include several macroeconomic and structural indicators for districts namely, per capita district domestic product, the degree of urbanization, population density, percentage of aged population, share of agriculture, poverty, among several others. Our findings suggest that fatalities have a clear rural–urban divide. Rural agricultural districts with more poor people have experienced less cases and fatalities. Fatalities are more clustered in prosperous and dense industrial districts. Regions having higher COVID-19 fatalities also have a higher proportion of ageing population with urban life-style disorder related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Prevalence of respiratory illnesses further aggravates the effects of some of these life-style disorder diseases on COVID-19 fatalities.

The Impact of Socio-Economic Factors on Digital Skills in the Population of the EU 27 Countries

This research investigates digital skills across the 27 EU countries, examining how incentive and disincentive factors shape these competencies, particularly under varying socio-economic conditions. Using a quantitative methodology, the study applies cluster analysis and linear ordering methods to classify countries by digital skills indicators, utilising data from the Eurostat Digital Economy and Society database. Key analytical methods—including Hellwig’s method, order counting, and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS)—are employed to pinpoint crucial factors that stimulate digital competencies, such as investment in research, training programmes, and innovation. Findings indicate that countries within clusters featuring higher values in these stimulative factors tend to adopt a proactive approach to digital development. These clusters frequently correlate with substantial investments in skills training and comprehensive educational policies. Conversely, clusters characterised by high disincentive variables, such as limited funding and socio-economic disparities, show slower progress in digital skills development, highlighting barriers in educational and social inclusion systems. The results reveal marked spatial disparities across the EU. Leading countries typically have robust education systems promoting lifelong learning and inclusivity, while lagging countries face structural challenges, including centralised education systems and urban-rural divides. This disparity underscores the need for sustained investment in education, training, and policy support to enhance workforce digital skills. The study highlights that digital competencies are closely intertwined with each country's educational and socio-economic frameworks, recommending targeted interventions to foster lifelong digital literacy and reduce skills gaps. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, interdisciplinary research is essential for addressing both quantitative and qualitative aspects of digital skill development. Future studies should aim to bridge the digital divide through comprehensive strategies for upskilling populations, ensuring inclusive digital integration across all EU countries.

The Parental Influence on Their Children’s Career Choices

This study explores the role of parents in shaping their children’s career aspirations, with a specific focus on the impact of parental education and urban-rural divides on career guidance involvement. Data were collected from 5,000 parents across 200 schools in 17 regions and 3 cities using convenience sampling methods. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze respondents’ demographic and academic backgrounds. The results reveal that parents with secondary education are more actively engaged in guiding their children’s career decisions compared to those with higher education. Furthermore, a significant urban-rural divide exists, with rural parents demonstrating lower awareness and involvement in career guidance activities, potentially limiting career aspirations among rural students. Parental involvement peaks during middle school and declines as students approach higher education. These findings highlight the need for targeted career guidance interventions, particularly in rural areas, to ensure equitable support for all students. The study concludes by recommending strategies to increase parental engagement across different educational levels and geographical locations.

China’s Nine-Year Compulsory Education Policy and Rural Women’s Education

Globally, education is often regarded as a basic human right. In order to guarantee this right, many countries have adopted various measures to ensure universal access to an inclusive and fair quality education, without leaving anyone behind. The UNICEF (2017) Convention on the Rights of the Child provides tenets of the child’s right to education, education should focus on the all-round development of children’s personalities and promote mutual understanding, tolerance, friendship, and peace by respecting their personal cultural backgrounds. The draft UNESCO Education 2030 Framework for Action (UNESCO 2015) involves ensuring an inclusive and fair basic education and providing lifelong learning opportunities for all (Webb et al., 2017). The implementation of compulsory education and the comprehensive development of a modern education system thus are importance to countries such as China. In fact, the implementation of the compulsory education policy in contemporary China is regarded as the main task of the government, which means that the “right to education” is a top priority (Chang, 2010). However, although various levels of governments are making significant efforts to promote the development of compulsory education in rural areas, there is still a major gap in terms of the quality and attainment within China education, especially along urban-rural divides. Children from impoverished backgrounds, typically rural areas, have a much higher risk of dropping out than their urban peers after completing elementary school. Therefore, this dissertation seeks to present the difficult situation rural women find themselves in concerning education. It proposes two research questions that 1) Does China’s nine-year compulsory education policy include initiatives to address gender inequalities, such as the higher rates of illiteracy amongst rural women and girls, and what evidence is available on the extent of the policy’s effectiveness in this regard? 2) How are issues of gender inequality experienced by rural women and girls in China in the context of the enactment of the nine-year compulsory education policy? Analysing the implementation of China’s nine-year compulsory education policy in rural area, whilst investigating the inequality that rural women suffer.

Landscape of Distrust: Political Trust Across America’s Urban-Rural Divide

Do rural Americans trust the government less than non-rural Americans? In an era of declining trust in government and mounting geographic polarization, this research examines the relationship between geography, identity, and attitudes of political trust in the United States. Using national survey data from the 2016 and 2020 American National Election Studies time series surveys, this quantitative analysis tests hypotheses that rurality in the context of place and place-based identity is associated with lower trust in the federal government. Overall, the results show that both living in and identifying with more rural areas corresponds with decreased government trust, regardless of the political party of the incumbent president. These findings contribute to the understanding of America’s urban-rural political divide and suggest significant implications for both partisan leaders and policymakers.

The Urban-Rural Divide in Neurocritical Care in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries.

The term "urban-rural divide" encompasses several dimensions and has remained an important concern for any country. The economic disparity; lack of infrastructure; dearth of medical specialists; limited opportunities to education, training, and health care; lower level of sanitation; and isolating effect of geographical location deepens this gap, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). This article gives an overview of the rural-urban differences in terms of facilities related to neurocritical care (NCC) in LMICs. Issues related to common clinical conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, myasthenia gravis, epilepsy, tubercular meningitis, and tracheostomy are also discussed. To facilitate delivery of NCC in resource-limited settings, proposed strategies include strengthening preventive measures, focusing on basics, having a multidisciplinary approach, promoting training and education, and conducting cost-effective research and collaborative efforts. The rural areas of LMICs bear the maximum impact because of their limited access to preventive health services, high incidence of acquired brain injury, inability to have timely management of neurological emergencies, and scarcity of specialist services in a resource-deprived health center. An increase in the health budget allocation for rural areas, NCC education and training of the workforce, and provision of telemedicine services for rapid diagnosis, management, and neurorehabilitation are some of the steps that can be quite helpful.

Rural–Urban Divide in the Prevalence and Correlates of Overweight and Obesity Among Women of Reproductive Age in Nigeria: A Multilevel Analysis of Repeated Cross-Sectional Data

ABSTRACT We examined rural and urban prevalence and correlates of overweight/obesity among women of reproductive age using survey data from Nigeria. Overweight and obesity prevalence increased from 16.1% and 6.1% in 2008 to 18.2% and 10.0% in 2018, while underweight prevalence consistently averaged at 12%. Regardless of the residential setting, age, marital status, education, occupation, wealth, and year were associated with higher risk of overweight/obesity, whereas breastfeeding showed a protective effect. Unique risk factors for overweight/obesity in urban areas were higher parity and female-headed households, while ethnicity, media exposure, and state of residence were unique risk factors in rural areas.

Enhancing Urban–Rural Integration in China: A Comparative Case Study of Introducing Small Rural Industries in Huangyan-Taizhou

Strengthening urban–rural linkages (URLs) has been proposed by UN-Habitat within the framework of ‘Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’ to narrow down urban–rural differences via shaping new urban–rural relationships. Like URL, the aim of urban–rural integration (URI) has been promoted by the Chinese government since 2019 to address existing urban–rural divides. This concept underlines the ‘rural revitalisation’ strategy and emphasises a two-way flow of urban–rural development factors. Introducing and upgrading ‘appropriate’ rural industries is crucial to stimulate and facilitate the circulation of urban–rural development factors. This research studied three neighbouring villages, situated in urban–rural interface areas in Huangyan-Taizhou, China, each driven by different types of small industries supported by URI. It analyses the impact of small rural industries on the flow of development factors between urban and rural areas. The results showed that small-scale rural industries have been enhanced URL by decreasing urban–rural differences by creating new job opportunities to attract an in-flow population, increasing investments, and upgrading public services and infrastructure. Indigenous industries demonstrated lower profitability but exhibited greater resilience compared to industries linked to global production chains and rural tourism. Thus, this study demonstrates the imperative to carefully consider the opportunities and potential risks associated with pursuing strategies of URI through rural industry development. By providing empirical insights from URI projects in China, this study contributes to theoretical and policy dialogues concerning the concepts of both URL and URI by exploring the localization of SDGs. Furthermore, it offers valuable practical knowledge and experience for other global regions confronting similar challenges to urban and rural development.

Exploring the urban consumers’ experience and the influencing factors in berry-picking activities in China

ABSTRACT Berries hold a unique appeal, stemming from their natural aspect and the embedded cultural ecosystem services they can offer. While extensive studies have examined rural berry collectors, there is a gap of research on the engagement of urban consumers in berry-picking activities, particularly in emerging markets. This study addresses this gap by investigating the experience, consumer motivations, and other influential factors of urban consumers engaging in berry-picking activities in selected municipalities in China. Drawing on in-depth interviews with urban consumers involved in berry-picking and the thematic analysis, this research revealed three berry-picking patterns, including wild picking, pure commercial picking (U-pick), commercial picking with extra services (Pick and Plus). It identified key factors influencing urban consumer experience, namely consumer motivations, social media marketing, convenience, and service capability. It explored the challenges confronting individual berry farmers. The results highlighted the cultural and social significance of berry-picking activities, as well as the service potential of fresh berries as territorial products to bridge urban-rural divides. The research contributes up-to-date insights to the broader discourse on the cultural and provisioning ecosystem services offered by berries, shedding light on the intricate interplay among urban consumers, fresh berries, rural berry farmers and other relevant stakeholders.

Multimodal Representations of Rural-Urban Divide on Reality TV: The Case of X-Change

China, as the most populous developing nation globally, may exhibit the greatest urban-rural disparity compared to other developing nations. Perspectives on the rural-urban divide persist despite the significant political, economic, and social upheaval that have occurred in Mainland China over the past century. Drawing on Mackay’s (2015) multimodal legitimation framework, this study examined how urban and rural were constructed and (de)legitimized by a series of multimodal resources, including visual, verbal, and audio modes. Using a critical discourse analysis perspective through a multimodal legitimation approach, this study explored how X-Change portrayed and influenced current Chinese perceptions of reality, with a specific focus on how these programmes depicted China’s urban-rural divide. The findings revealed that both the urban and rural were multimodally constructed and (de)legitimized as a paradox. However, this study also found a reproduction of urban hegemonic discourse via the interplay of various semiotic resources and (de)legitimation strategies, suggesting that the urban very much forms the center of society in the context of contemporary China. These findings contribute to existing scholarship on the rural-urban divide in Chinese Reality Television (RTV).

Systemic Barriers to Optimal Cancer Care in Resource-Limited Countries: Jordanian Healthcare as an Example.

This narrative review explores the multifaceted barriers hindering access to quality cancer care in Jordan. A literature-based narrative review was undertaken to explore the current identified barriers to cancer care in Jordan. Four databases were searched using relevant keywords to identify key insights on barriers and proposed solutions. Key challenges and potential solutions were identified based on evidence from studies, reports, and initiatives. Medical services and infrastructure exhibit centralized disparities, impacting rural and underserved areas. Human resources shortages, geopolitical instability, and quality management issues pose significant challenges. Public awareness campaigns face hurdles in addressing the tobacco epidemic and late-stage diagnosis. Socioeconomic disparities, particularly in health insurance and urban-rural divides, further compound barriers. Refugees encounter distinct challenges, including late-stage diagnosis, financial barriers, and psychological distress. Despite multiple challenges, Jordan presents a model for regional development and health equity. This study not only contributes to improving cancer care in Jordan but also offers a roadmap for policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and researchers in similar contexts globally. Government initiatives, financial aspects, and proposed policy measures are examined as potential solutions. Recommendations include coordinated prevention strategies, enhanced screening uptake, training programs, the equitable distribution of facilities, and policy directives aligned with global commitments. The role of digital technologies, telemedicine, and community engagement models is emphasized.

The Great Global Divider? A Comparison of Urban-Rural Partisan Polarization in Western Democracies

This study is the first to measure urban-rural electoral divides in a way that facilitates comparisons beyond majoritarian democracies of the UK and North America. Based on national election results at the lowest available geographic level in fifteen countries covering roughly five decades, we present a measure for each election and political party, enabling comparisons over time and between countries with different electoral and party systems. We show that long-term increases in urban-rural divides have been most pronounced in the US, the UK, and Canada, but these divides have also emerged in several European multiparty systems in recent decades, largely because of growing smaller parties with predominantly urban or rural support. Overall urban-rural electoral divides remain lower in these systems due to continued presence of mainstream parties with geographically diverse support. Our contribution paves the way for a comparative research agenda on causes and consequences of urban-rural electoral polarization.

Self‐Employment, the COVID‐19 Pandemic, and the Rural–Urban Divide in the United States☆

AbstractSelf‐employed individuals faced numerous challenges amid the global health and economic crisis that was the COVID‐19 pandemic. Similarly, rural and urban workers faced different challenges during the pandemic. This rural–urban disparity further complicates the impacts of self‐employment and exacerbates inequalities resulting from gender, race, ethnicity, or immigration status. This study examines the economic consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic across these categories in the United States using Current Population Survey data from May 2020 to May 2022. Comparing the wage and self‐employment sectors across rural and urban areas, I examine the effects of individual, business, and geographic characteristics on the probability of work stoppages due to the health crisis. The analysis reveals that recovery from the pandemic was delayed among the self‐employed, while additional education and full‐time employment status can reduce work interruptions for these workers, as does working in select industries. Findings suggest that rural and urban minorities are more likely to face pandemic‐related work disruptions, with key differences between formal and informal self‐employment sectors. Specifically, self‐employed Asians/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans were more adversely affected in rural areas. The study concludes with several policy and program recommendations to assist vulnerable workers, especially in the rural self‐employment sector.

Enhancing Performance of Health Assistants through Technical and Vocational Education and Training for Better Healthcare Access

This is a review article exploring critical role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs in advancing capacities of health assistants and consequently strengthening healthcare access to the rural population in Nepal. The review was planned in the wake of the existing literatures on the study area that lacks a comprehensive examination to explores the role of health assistants in Nepal's healthcare delivery and assess the importance of TVET on their performance. A methodical literature search was conducted using various electronic databases like Google scholar and PubMed applying specific keywords, such as “Health Assistant", "Health Care Access", "Technical Education", "Vocational Education and Training”. It encompassed the studies published in the English language without limiting publication date, while the involved two authors independently evaluated the published articles' eligibility. These authors also carried out data extraction, culminating in a narrative summary of the findings. Of the total 37 literatures, most of them reported health assistant trained through TVET, play a vital role in improvement of healthcare access, thereby addressing the challenges. They bridge gaps in medical access, provide essential care, and promote community well-being, particularly in the underserved areas. TVET programs enhance skills through practical experiences and comprehensive training, resulting into significant improvement in healthcare access, especially in rural regions. Integrating innovative teaching methods and collaborations further enhances health assistant preparedness. Challenges, such as funding limitations and rural-urban divides persist, but opportunities exist in e-learning initiatives, partnerships, and professional development to improve health assistant education. Improving healthcare in Nepal by inculcating better skills to health assistants can address many healthcare problems.

Mapping social conflicts to enhance the integrated management of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

AbstractUnderstanding the social feasibility of wildlife conservation approaches is essential to reducing social conflicts over wildlife and public backlash toward wildlife agencies and organizations. The Potential for Conflict Index2 (PCI2) and geospatial analyses of conflict can help wildlife practitioners strategically engage their publics, but these two tools have yet to be combined. Using data from a 2021 survey about white‐tailed deer in Indiana (n = 1806), we analyzed conflict levels among stakeholder self‐identities and political ideologies regarding the acceptability of six possible management methods, three lethal and three nonlethal. We then conducted a hotspot analysis of gridded PCI2 values to map areas of high and low social conflicts across the state. Conflict potentials showed more consistent covariation with political ideologies than with stakeholder self‐identities, aligning with urban–rural divides in wildlife experiences. Data on political leanings and residency may thus be more reliable than stakeholder categories to predict social conflicts over wildlife management. Hotspots of conflict over lethal methods clustered around urban areas, indicating that agencies should focus on engaging urban residents about deer management. Our conflict hotspots can be combined with other spatial data to create social units of analysis, which can help practitioners develop targeted and socially accepted strategies for wildlife conservation and management.

Lay theories of place effects

AbstractCombining research in political geography and social psychology, this article investigates lay theories of “place effects”—that is, ordinary citizens' beliefs about the effects that urban or rural places have on the individuals who live in them. We do so using a novel survey vignette embedded in a large‐scale survey of the Canadian public. Our results suggest that (1) citizens see rural identities as less malleable than urban identities, (2) lay theories of place effects depend on citizens' own place identities, and (3) lay theories of place effects are stronger for nonpolitical than for political place‐based characteristics. We also find that lay theories of place effects are associated with individual‐level characteristics that are connected to cosmopolitan‐communitarian divides, such as ideology and postsecondary education. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for the growing literature on urban–rural divides and for research on citizens' implicit theories of places and their political consequences.

Confidence Across Cleavage: The Swiss Rural–Urban Divide, Place‐Based Identity and Political Trust

AbstractSince political trust is crucial to the survival of political systems, securing its high levels is essential. While Switzerland exhibits a large rural–urban divide in direct democratic votes, it has not yet been researched whether such a divide also exists with regard to political trust. In my investigation of the Swiss rural–urban divide in political trust, I bring in place as a social identity and evaluate whether the rural–urban divide is contingent upon place‐based identity. I employ OLS regression models using original survey data from 2022 with about 4,000 respondents. Results reveal a significant but irrelevantly small rural–urban difference in political trust. However, when interacting place‐based identity with place of living, I find that identity inverts the rural–urban divide. When place‐based identity is low, rural residents exhibit higher levels of political trust than urban residents, but when place‐based identity is high, trust is higher in urban than in rural places.

The Rural-Urban Divide: Insights from Immuno-Genetic Profiles and Implications for Health

Population disparities in health and disease have been observed and amply documented. While often attributable to genetic underpinnings, such disparities extend beyond population genetic predisposition to include environmental and geographic determinants, most pronouncedly the division between rural and urban lifestyles. Under such influences, genes and gene products may become affected by epigenetic factors, microbial modifiers including infections, and the body microbiome that ultimately shapes the outcome of a complex milieu of protein networks. Retrospective, demographic, genotype, and expression data from two rural populations in eastern Sudan were analysed for genotype, allele frequency distribution, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and expression profiles using an array panel of Th1, Th2, and Th3 genes in a subset of the rural population sample against matched urban controls. Differences between urban and rural samples were observed in the departure from HWE, with an excess of heterozygosity in the rural sample. In the Th1, Th2, and Th3 array, cytokines were consistently overexpressed in the rural cohort compared to the urban cohort and were replicated in 7 selected genes that are associated with chronic diseases amongst urban dwellers in contrast to rural village inhabitants. IgE levels, as a feature of parasitic infections, are another difference to include in that dichotomy. Gene expression appears to be more exposed to the overall outcome of genetic variations, including the interaction with environmental influences within and outside the body. Here, it may be gathered from the contrast in the expression patterns between the rural and urban samples. The presence of signals of natural selection in genes that are key to certain biological functions, such as CD40L and FasL, and the sharp contrast between urban and rural populations in gene variants distribution and expression patterns, may provide important clues towards understanding the disparity between human communities in non-communicable diseases of lifestyle as well as some of the emerging infectious diseases.