Faculty
Kathryn J. Brasier
Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology
(PhD, Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002)
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Email address: kbrasier@psu.edu Telephone:1-814-865-7321 Fax: 1-814-865-3746 Office address: 105 Armsby Building University Park, PA 16802 |
Research Interests
My research program focuses on collective action, networks and public participation related to agricultural, natural resource, and environmental issues. Specific research projects include networks and adoption of on-farm conservation technologies; networks as a means for rural and agricultural economic development; community watershed organizations; social and economic impacts of natural resource extraction; land use change and the social and ecological causes and consequences; and the effects of space and scale on farm and environmental decision-making.
Outreach/Extension Interests
My Extension programs follow from my research, and emphasize ways of collectively organizing and making decisions related to agricultural, natural resource and environmental issues. These programs include:
- Pennsylvania Women’s Agricultural Network (http://wagn.cas.psu.edu)
- Future of Agriculture in Our Community (community planning for agriculture – http://cax.aers.psu.edu/futureofag);
- Economic and Community Development Impacts of Marcellus Shale (http://naturalgas.extension.psu.edu);
- Building Stronger Organizations and Communities (community decision-making training); and
- PAParticipates (public dialogue and deliberation – see http://www.ruralpa.org/Effective_Citizen_Engagement.pdf).
Recent Selected Publications
Trauger, A., C. Sachs, M. Barbercheck, K. Brasier, N.E. Kiernan. Forthcoming. "Our Market is Our Community": Women Farmers and Civic Agriculture in Pennsylvania, USA.” Agriculture and Human Values.
Barbercheck, M., K. Brasier, N. E. Kiernan, C. Sachs, A. Trauger, J. Findeis, A. Stone, and L. Moist. Forthcoming. “Meeting the Extension Needs of Women Farmers: A Perspective from Pennsylvania.” Journal of Extension.
Stedman, R., B. Lee, K. Brasier, J. Weigle, and F. Higdon. Forthcoming. “Cleaning Up Water? Or Building Rural Community? Community Watershed Organizations in Pennsylvania." Rural Sociology.
Lenihan, M. H., and K. Brasier. Forthcoming. “Scaling Down the European Model of Agriculture: The Case of the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme in Ireland.” Agriculture and Human Values.
Trauger, A., C. Sachs, M. Barbercheck, N.E. Kieran, K. Brasier. 2008. “Agricultural Education: Gender Identity and Knowledge Exchange.” Journal of Rural Studies 24:432-439.
Brasier, K., S. Goetz, L. Smith, M. Ames, J. Green, T. Kelsey, A. Rangarajan, and W. Whitmer. 2007. Small Farm Clusters and Pathways to Rural Community Sustainability.” Community Development 38(3): 8-22.
Current and Former Graduate Students
Martin Lenihan |
RS |
PhD - Fall 2006 |
“State, Social Movement and Producer Perspectives on Multifunctional Agriculture in the Global Food Regime” |
Daniel Snyder |
CEDEV |
MS - Summer 2007 |
“Building Community in a 3D Space” |
Sarah Black |
AEE (co-chair) |
MS - Summer 2008 |
“Exploring Local Politicians’ Trust of the Public” |
Lindsay Smith |
RS |
MS - Summer 2008 |
“From Cowbelles to WAgNs: Factors That Have Influenced the Creation of Women Initiated Agriculture Organizations in the United States” |
Jon Clark |
RS |
PhD - Spring 2009 |
“Re-framing the Debate: The Discursive Politics of Industrial Hog Production” |