scholarly journals The Urban-Rural Telecommunications Divide Endures: A Historical Perspective from Landline Telephony

Urban Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Jean-Michel Guldmann

The popular press and academic literature show that the urban-rural divide persists with regard to recent telecommunications technologies, such as broadband and wireless service. As was the case for landline telephony, this lack of deployment in rural areas is rooted in cost differentials and lack of agglomeration economies. This paper provides historical insights on this divide, using 1990 data on voice communications in a region located in the northeastern United States, and investigates (1) whether there are differences in telecommunications usage between urban and rural firms, (2) whether advanced telecommunications technologies provide an economic advantage to rural firms, and (3) what are the factors encouraging and inhibiting the provision of these technologies in rural areas. Exchange-level data on telephone usage by eleven economic sectors are first linked, through regression analysis, to data characterizing the exchange employment, rural character, availability of advanced technology, and geography. Rural activities turn out to use telecommunications less than urban ones in the absence of advanced technologies, but the latter tend to significantly increase usage. Next, a logit model is estimated to link the deployment of one advanced technology—digital switching—to market and geographical variables. The results tend to support the idea that an advanced telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas may be important to attract activities that make heavy use of telecommunications, but also that its provision is inhibited by the traditional rural barriers of distance and low population density.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Thompson ◽  
Stuart James Turnbull-Dugarte

The literature on LGBT participation is growing, but there is still little empirical analysis on the importance of urbanicity in shaping Queer activism. In this paper, we address this critical gap by examining how patterns of participation among LGBT Americans vary by geographic context. Using data from the 2020 Cooperative Election Study (CES) to explore how patterns of LGBT participation differ across the urban-rural interface, we find that individuals identifying as LGBT living in urban areas exhibit higher rates of participation than those living in rural areas, and that these results hold across multiple urban-rural classification schemes. Estimating a multilevel model that leverages local-level data on the density of the LGBT population, we also provide strong empirical validation of the theoretical effects of intragroup contact and mobilization on LGBT participation in large metro areas. When we limit our sample to respondents living in the 55 largest metro areas in the US but vary the metro-level percentage of LGBT individuals, we find that LGBT individuals living in metro areas with a higher percentage of LGBT individuals exhibit higher rates of participation relative to metro areas with a lower percentage of LGBT individuals. The results indicate that urban contexts foster Queer participation by engendering intragroup contact and mobilization among LGBT populations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-342
Author(s):  
Ivan Simic ◽  
Ratko Bajcetic

The development of settlements in Vojvodina is burdened by numerous problems, both environmental and social, which seriously jeopardize their path towards resilience. The effects of climate changes have been identified mostly in the form of floods, inundations and prolonged droughts affecting agriculture as the dominant activity in the region. On the other hand, settlements in Vojvodina, especially small towns and villages, suffer from chronic depopulation and the 'emptying' effect. Naturally, this transfers its consequences to major cities and the entire regional network of settlements. In this article we will focus on a particular type of settlement in Vojvodina - small towns, specific because of their urban-rural character and their significance within the above-mentioned issues. What are the possibilities for this type of settlement to improve its ecological resilience, a property that is the conditio sine qua non of sustainability? Our assumption is that small towns, due to their hybrid urban-rural character, possess sufficient flexibility and polyvalence to take on the role of the 'fluid object' i.e. the mediator that allows the proliferation of relational objects between urban and rural areas, and that will allow spatial resilience of the entire network of settlements. We will use the concept of spatial resilience in order to extend the question of ecological resilience of one type of settlement to the entire network of towns.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Thompson ◽  
Stuart James Turnbull-Dugarte

The literature on LGBT participation is growing, but there is still little empirical analysis on the importance of urbanicity in shaping Queer activism. In this paper, we address this critical gap by examining how patterns of participation among LGBT Americans vary by geographic context. Using data from the 2020 Cooperative Election Study (CES) to explore how patterns of LGBT participation differ across the urban-rural interface, we find that individuals identifying as LGBT living in urban areas exhibit higher rates of participation than those living in rural areas, and that these results hold across multiple urban-rural classification schemes. Estimating a multilevel model that leverages local-level data on the density of the LGBT population, we also provide strong empirical validation of the theoretical effects of intragroup contact and mobilization on LGBT participation in large metro areas. When we limit our sample to respondents living in the 55 largest metro areas in the US but vary the metro-level percentage of LGBT individuals, we find that LGBT individuals living in metro areas with a higher percentage of LGBT individuals exhibit higher rates of participation relative to metro areas with a lower percentage of LGBT individuals. The results indicate that urban contexts foster Queer participation by engendering intragroup contact and mobilization among LGBT populations.


2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thiruthlall Nepal

The evaluation of telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas is a complex and messy problem that involves many tangible and intangible factors. Some of them are technical in nature while others are soft, involving social, cultural and political aspects of the problem. The evaluation requires, inter alia, societal intervention, and since societies reflect a multiplicity and diversity of values and goals, the intervention should confront these realities. One such reality that can be highlighted is the fact that we are dealing with rural communities that are disadvantaged in terms of telecommunication and other service provision. This underlies the need to consider the evaluation process from multiple perspectives, explore methodologies that will facilitate participation and engagement, and include emancipation of the disadvantaged. This research proposes a framework for the evaluation of rural telecommunications in a regional context. As such, it is viewed not just as an engineering phenomenon, but also as an economic and social phenomenon. Its complexity requires the use of a mix of methods in a complementary manner. It is based on the combination of the strengths of Soft Systems Methodology by Checkland, Critical Systems Thinking following some ideas of Jackson ensuring the guaranteeing of the interests of the poor and the weak in the rural environment, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process by Saaty.


2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodoros Iosifides ◽  
Thanasis Kizos ◽  
Elektra Petracou ◽  
Ekaterini Malliotaki ◽  
Konstantina Katsimantou ◽  
...  

This paper aims at an investigation of factors of differentiation of basic social and economic characteristics of foreign immigrants in the Region of Western Greece. The paper explores whether the thesis of urban-rural divide is relevant for the differentiation of immigrants’ socio-economic characteristics in a typical Region of Greece, where there is a strong interplay between major urban centers and large rural areas. Findings show that spatial factors play a very limited role in the differentiation of socio-economic characteristics of immigrants and indicate that other factors are more important. Thus, and as regards socio-economic characteristics of immigrants, the overall picture is that of urban-rural continuum rather than divide. 


1982 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rehana Siddiqui

The paper aims at testing the validity of Engel's law with data on Pakistan. Consumption functions for urban and rural areas have been estimated separately. These functions are shown to be determined by total expenditure and household size. Engel's law is confirmed for some commodity groups but not for all. Following tests of urban-rural homogeneity and of stability of urban and rural consumption functions, demand growth rates for different food and non-food items have been calculated, assuming different growth rates of total expenditure and household size.


Author(s):  
Balkar Singh

The capability or calibre cannot be judged based on Results, as it depends on the student to student & also the examination is testing of knowledge of a student, for the whole year in two or three hours. In July 2020 the exam result of the secondary standard was declared by the Board of School Education Haryana, Bhiwani and there is a discussion about topper & the schools in which these toppers were studying & strategy of these toppers regarding exam preparation, their interviews & photos were published in the Newspapers, why not? It must be but in this spark light, there is some darkness behind this. Everyone is congratulating these students, as they are studied from the Private Schools of the Urban City areas of the Haryana, a few are from the most educated families, whose parents their selves are teachers or professors. Through this, we are ignoring a bitter truth of the poor students of the Government Schools, who despite lack of all the big & small facilities, as compare of these Private schools’ performed equal to these toppers. KEYWORDS: Testing of knowledge, Education in Private Schools, Toppers and Calibre.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2314
Author(s):  
Mikolaj Przydacz ◽  
Marcin Chlosta ◽  
Piotr Chlosta

Objectives: Population-level data are lacking for urinary incontinence (UI) in Central and Eastern European countries. Therefore, the objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence, bother, and behavior regarding treatment for UI in a population-representative group of Polish adults aged ≥ 40 years. Methods: Data for this epidemiological study were derived from the larger LUTS POLAND project, in which a group of adults that typified the Polish population were surveyed, by telephone, about lower urinary tract symptoms. Respondents were classified by age, sex, and place of residence. UI was assessed with a standard protocol and established International Continence Society definitions. Results: The LUTS POLAND survey included 6005 completed interviews. The prevalence of UI was 14.6–25.4%; women reported a greater occurrence compared with men (p < 0.001). For both sexes, UI prevalence increased with age. Stress UI was the most common type of UI in women, and urgency UI was the most prevalent in men. We did not find a difference in prevalence between urban and rural areas. Individuals were greatly bothered by UI. For women, mixed UI was the most bothersome, whereas for men, leak for no reason was most annoying. More than half of respondents (51.4–62.3%) who reported UI expressed anxiety about the effect of UI on their quality of life. Nevertheless, only around one third (29.2–38.1%) of respondents with UI sought treatment, most of whom received treatment. Persons from urban and rural areas did not differ in the degrees of treatment seeking and treatment receiving. Conclusion: Urinary incontinence was prevalent and greatly bothersome among Polish adults aged ≥ 40 years. Consequently, UI had detrimental effects on quality of life. Nonetheless, most affected persons did not seek treatment. Therefore, we need to increase population awareness in Poland about UI and available treatment methods, and we need to ensure adequate allocation of government and healthcare system resources.


2021 ◽  
pp. 001955612110016
Author(s):  
Anurima Mukherjee Basu ◽  
Rutool Sharma

Current urbanisation trends in India show a quantum jump in number of ‘census towns’, which are not statutorily declared as urban areas, but have acquired all characteristics of urban settlements. Sizeable number of such census towns are not located near any Class 1 city. Lack of proper and timely planning has led to unplanned growth of these settlements. This article is based on a review of planning legislations, institutional framework and planning process of four states in India. The present article analyses the scope and limitations of the planning process adopted in the rapidly urbanising rural areas of these states. The findings reveal that states are still following a conventional approach to planning that treats ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ as separate categories and highlights the need for adopting an integrated territorial approach to planning of settlements.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sauliune ◽  
O Mesceriakova-Veliuliene ◽  
R Kalediene

Abstract Introduction Health inequalities have emerged as a big issue of public health in Lithuania. Recent studies have demonstrated increasing mortality differentials between different socio-demographic groups of the population. Urban/rural place of residence is related with a set of socio-economic characteristics, different access to material resources, presence or absence of social support, and attitudes to health-related behavior. The aim of the study To determine inequalities in life expectancy and its changes by place of residence (urban/rural) in Lithuania during 1990-2018. Methods Information on deaths and population numbers for the period of 1990-2018 was obtained from National Mortality Register and Population Register. Life expectancy for males and females of urban and rural populations was calculated using life tables. Changes in the magnitude of life expectancy inequalities by place of residence were assessed using rate differences (urban-rural); while trends in inequalities were estimated by conducting the Joinpoint regression analysis. Results Life expectancy among males and females was longer in urban compared to rural areas throughout the entire study period. Life expectancy increased statistically significantly for urban and rural males and females with the most notable increase for males, especially those living in rural areas (on average by 0.4% per year from 64.1 years in 1990 to 70.05 years in 2018). Inequalities in life expectancy by place of residence decreased statistically significantly among Lithuanian males from 3.48 years in 1990 to 1.39 years in 2018, while among females only the tendency of decrease was estimated. Conclusions Inequalities in life expectancy of males and females by place of residence decreased significantly in Lithuania throughout the period of 1990-2018, mainly due to positive changes in life expectancy among rural males. Key messages Inequalities in life expectancy of males and females by place of residence decreased significantly in Lithuania throughout the period of 1990-2018. Life expectancy increased for Lithuanian urban and rural males and females with the most notable increase for males, especially those living in rural areas.


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