The economic and health disadvantage of Canadian single parents relative to the general population is well documented. Most studies, however, have not considered the effects of gender or urban/rural residence on the mental well-being of single parents. These gaps are important to address given that: 1) single father families are growing at a faster rate than single mother families; and 2) 13% of families residing in rural Canada are headed by single parents. Three research questions guided the study: 1) Does the mental health of single parents vary by gender and/or urban- rural residence? 2) Do single parents’ demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial characteristics vary by gender and/or urban- rural residence? and 3) Do the demographic, socioeconomic, and social correlates of single parents’ mental health vary by gender and/or urban- rural residence? Data from Statistics Canada’s 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey (Master file) was used, with analyses focused on a subsample of 18-64 year old single parents. The primary dependent variable was self-rated mental health (fair/poor vs. good/very good/excellent). The other dependent variables were the prevalence of anxiety disorders, mood disorders and binge drinking. The primary independent variables were gender and urban/rural residence; the Metropolitan Influenced Zone (MIZ) classification was used to measure residence. Additional independent variables were included to reflect single parents’ demographic characteristics (age, marital status, Aboriginal identity, number and ages of children), socioeconomic position (e.g. household income, education, income assistance home ownership, food security), and psychosocial characteristics (e.g. sense of community belonging). Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were the main statistical techniques applied. Sampling weights and bootstrapping were used to calculate accurate estimates and associated confidence intervals. iii Results indicated that the proportion of single parents who rated their mental health as “fair or poor” did not differ significantly by gender or urban-rural residence. Single mothers were more likely to report mood and anxiety disorders in comparison with single fathers, though the prevalence did not vary by residence. However, single mothers and single fathers living in Strong/Medium MIZ regions of the nation were more likely to report higher proportions of binge drinking compared to their more urban counterparts. Compared to single fathers, a greater proportion of single mothers resided in urban Canada, were less than 45 years of age, never married, self-identified as Aboriginal, had two or more children, and had a child under or equal to five years of age in the household. On most indicators of socioeconomic position, single mothers were significantly more disadvantaged than single fathers but did not differ significantly on psychosocial measures. Demographically, a greater proportion of rural than urban single mothers were of Aboriginal origin had two or more children, and at least once child under the age of 6 years in the household. Regarding socioeconomic characteristics a higher percentage of rural than urban single mothers indicated receiving social assistance, working part-time and having an annual household income of less than $20,000. No significant differences emerged by residence with respect to employment status, food security, home ownership or perceptions of life stress; however, single mothers living in more rural locals were more likely to rate their sense of community belonging as “somewhat or very strong” When data on single fathers was analyzed (Table 4.6), relatively few differences emerge. However, a greater proportion of urban than rural single fathers had a university education and owned their own home. Single fathers in rural regions were more likely than their urban counterparts to report most days as “quite a bit or extremely” stressful. No other statistically significant differences by residence emerged. iv The results of the multiple logistic regression analyses found the following variables to be associated with increased odds of fair/poor self-rated mental health: older age, low household income, being unemployed, being food insecure, experiencing higher levels of life stress and a weaker sense of community belonging. The relationship between demographic, socioeconomic and psychosocial characteristics and self-rated mental health was not modified by gender or urban-rural residence. Thus, the findings of this study will help policy makers identify the factors that adversely affect the mental health of single parents in Canada.

This research explores an alternative path for economic development via local connections to regional economies. It presents new analysis of the potential and circumstances under which county level industry clusters can be strengthened by connecting to regional clusters – networks of businesses, labor pools, etc., whose linkages cross local and even state jurisdictional boundaries. Specifically, this analysis examines how different types of industry clusters and types of urban and rural communities within regions respond to intra-regional connectivity. Independent-samples t-tests are conducted to assess whether significant differences in the annualized county-cluster employment growth rate (2010-2016) exist between connected and not-connected county-clusters overall, in different types of communities (metropolitan, micropolitan, rural adjacent and rural remote) and across types of industry clusters. The results suggest that intra-regional economic connectivity has a strong, positive association with county-cluster employment growth. These results are particularly pronounced for more rural communities but are present across county types, including metropolitan. The magnitude of the economic impact derived from connectivity with the regional economy varies by industry cluster. The results suggest an alternative approach to cluster-based economic development strategies that more strategically accounts for and bolsters connectivity. Policy recommendations for how to apply an intra-regional connectivity framework to narrow the urban-rural divide, as well as several regional profiles, are offered. / Doctor of Philosophy / This research explores an alternative path for economic development via local connections to regional economies. It presents new analysis of the potential and circumstances under which county level employment can be strengthened by connecting to regional industry clusters – networks of businesses, labor pools, etc., whose linkages cross local and even state jurisdictional boundaries. Specifically, this analysis examines how different types of industry clusters and types of urban and rural communities respond to economic connectivity within their regions. Statistical tests are conducted to compare differences in county employment growth (2010-2016) between counties that are economically connected and those that are not. The results suggest that connectivity to regional industry clusters has a strong, positive relationship with local employment growth. These results are particularly pronounced for more rural communities but are present across county types, including metropolitan. The magnitude of the economic impact derived from connectivity with the regional economy varies by the type of industry cluster present. The results suggest an alternative approach to cluster-based economic development strategies that more strategically accounts for and bolsters connectivity. Policy recommendations for how to apply an intra-regional connectivity framework to narrow the urban-rural divide, as well as several regional profiles, are offered.

In recent years it has become widely accepted that the natural systems on which we depend for survival are being degraded by human activity. It is no longer a question of if we need to reduce our impact upon the planet, but of the extent to which we need to change our behaviour, and how soon we need to act. Such change will depend upon the support of voters, governments, and the international community and will require wide spread changes in attitudes and behaviour. Using the social identity approach as a framework, the current programme of research focuses on rural land users in Australia and the effectiveness of sustainable land use campaigns directed at them from both urban and rural sources. The studies provide a novel contribution to the area by demonstrating the effects of intergroup threat on group-based communication, in particular, the perception of threat to rural identity and the effect on urban and rural messages aimed at changing land use behaviour. Conclusions about broader social influence processes were also made by assessing rural participants’ perceptions of the degree to which others are influenced. Although the studies are based in the context of rural Australian land users, the results and theoretical implications can be applied to any situation wherein one group is attempting to change the attitudes and behaviours of another group. This could range from local interest groups trying to convince each other of the merits of their ideas through to political parties and nations calling for united and decisive action on global issues. Such groups ignore issues of power and status at the risk of ineffective communications or even a backlash in opinion and behaviour. Six studies were conducted, including five survey studies with rural landholders and one experiment with students at a rural campus. Study 1 (N = 251) was an evaluation of sustainable land use campaigns in general, comparing those from urban sources to those from rural sources. Study 2 (N = 585) extended this by assessing the moderating role of intergroup threat perceptions. This study also measured the perceptions of influence of urban and rural messages on urban people and other rural people. Study 3 (N = 98) assessed the influence of an actual land use campaign delivered by an ingroup source on individuals’ attitudes and behaviours and the perceived influence on others. Study 4 (N = 249) built upon Study 2 but included additional measures to address some of the inconsistencies between Studies 1 and 2. To address the psychological underpinnings of group-based influence, Study 5 (N = 124) included measures of trust in urban and rural sources as well as reports of influence, agreement, and past behaviour. To conclude, Study 6 (N = 64) provided an experimental test of persuasion by manipulating the source of the message. Self-reported identification and intergroup threat were examined as moderators of group-based persuasion. Furthermore, attributions of constructiveness were explored as a possible reason for the superior influence of ingroups. Across the six studies it was found that ingroup messages were consistently more influential than outgroup messages. Attributions of trust and constructiveness helped to explain the superior influence of ingroups. In terms of perceptions of influence on others, there was a third-person effect for urban messages but rural people did not differentiate between themselves and other rural people in response to rural messages. Furthermore, rural identification was associated with greater reported influence from the ingroup source and perceived threat was associated with increased influence of rural messages compared to urban messages. These findings have clear implications for attempts at changing attitudes between groups, particularly where there is a salient and competitive intergroup context. Outgroups operate at a distinct disadvantage in delivering persuasive communications, especially if ingroup identification is high or there is a perception of threat stemming from the communicating group. Evidence of the persuasiveness of ingroups compared to outgroups is further strengthened by the perceptions of similarity in influence of rural sources for self and other ingroup members. The findings on trust and constructiveness hint at the possibility of overcoming barriers to outgroup persuasion if positive motives for the messages can be established. Of course, this depends on the severity of the intergroup context and the nature of communication. Recommendations are made for a collaborative approach to achieving change.

In recent years it has become widely accepted that the natural systems on which we depend for survival are being degraded by human activity. It is no longer a question of if we need to reduce our impact upon the planet, but of the extent to which we need to change our behaviour, and how soon we need to act. Such change will depend upon the support of voters, governments, and the international community and will require wide spread changes in attitudes and behaviour. Using the social identity approach as a framework, the current programme of research focuses on rural land users in Australia and the effectiveness of sustainable land use campaigns directed at them from both urban and rural sources. The studies provide a novel contribution to the area by demonstrating the effects of intergroup threat on group-based communication, in particular, the perception of threat to rural identity and the effect on urban and rural messages aimed at changing land use behaviour. Conclusions about broader social influence processes were also made by assessing rural participants’ perceptions of the degree to which others are influenced. Although the studies are based in the context of rural Australian land users, the results and theoretical implications can be applied to any situation wherein one group is attempting to change the attitudes and behaviours of another group. This could range from local interest groups trying to convince each other of the merits of their ideas through to political parties and nations calling for united and decisive action on global issues. Such groups ignore issues of power and status at the risk of ineffective communications or even a backlash in opinion and behaviour. Six studies were conducted, including five survey studies with rural landholders and one experiment with students at a rural campus. Study 1 (N = 251) was an evaluation of sustainable land use campaigns in general, comparing those from urban sources to those from rural sources. Study 2 (N = 585) extended this by assessing the moderating role of intergroup threat perceptions. This study also measured the perceptions of influence of urban and rural messages on urban people and other rural people. Study 3 (N = 98) assessed the influence of an actual land use campaign delivered by an ingroup source on individuals’ attitudes and behaviours and the perceived influence on others. Study 4 (N = 249) built upon Study 2 but included additional measures to address some of the inconsistencies between Studies 1 and 2. To address the psychological underpinnings of group-based influence, Study 5 (N = 124) included measures of trust in urban and rural sources as well as reports of influence, agreement, and past behaviour. To conclude, Study 6 (N = 64) provided an experimental test of persuasion by manipulating the source of the message. Self-reported identification and intergroup threat were examined as moderators of group-based persuasion. Furthermore, attributions of constructiveness were explored as a possible reason for the superior influence of ingroups. Across the six studies it was found that ingroup messages were consistently more influential than outgroup messages. Attributions of trust and constructiveness helped to explain the superior influence of ingroups. In terms of perceptions of influence on others, there was a third-person effect for urban messages but rural people did not differentiate between themselves and other rural people in response to rural messages. Furthermore, rural identification was associated with greater reported influence from the ingroup source and perceived threat was associated with increased influence of rural messages compared to urban messages. These findings have clear implications for attempts at changing attitudes between groups, particularly where there is a salient and competitive intergroup context. Outgroups operate at a distinct disadvantage in delivering persuasive communications, especially if ingroup identification is high or there is a perception of threat stemming from the communicating group. Evidence of the persuasiveness of ingroups compared to outgroups is further strengthened by the perceptions of similarity in influence of rural sources for self and other ingroup members. The findings on trust and constructiveness hint at the possibility of overcoming barriers to outgroup persuasion if positive motives for the messages can be established. Of course, this depends on the severity of the intergroup context and the nature of communication. Recommendations are made for a collaborative approach to achieving change.

In recent years it has become widely accepted that the natural systems on which we depend for survival are being degraded by human activity. It is no longer a question of if we need to reduce our impact upon the planet, but of the extent to which we need to change our behaviour, and how soon we need to act. Such change will depend upon the support of voters, governments, and the international community and will require wide spread changes in attitudes and behaviour. Using the social identity approach as a framework, the current programme of research focuses on rural land users in Australia and the effectiveness of sustainable land use campaigns directed at them from both urban and rural sources. The studies provide a novel contribution to the area by demonstrating the effects of intergroup threat on group-based communication, in particular, the perception of threat to rural identity and the effect on urban and rural messages aimed at changing land use behaviour. Conclusions about broader social influence processes were also made by assessing rural participants’ perceptions of the degree to which others are influenced. Although the studies are based in the context of rural Australian land users, the results and theoretical implications can be applied to any situation wherein one group is attempting to change the attitudes and behaviours of another group. This could range from local interest groups trying to convince each other of the merits of their ideas through to political parties and nations calling for united and decisive action on global issues. Such groups ignore issues of power and status at the risk of ineffective communications or even a backlash in opinion and behaviour. Six studies were conducted, including five survey studies with rural landholders and one experiment with students at a rural campus. Study 1 (N = 251) was an evaluation of sustainable land use campaigns in general, comparing those from urban sources to those from rural sources. Study 2 (N = 585) extended this by assessing the moderating role of intergroup threat perceptions. This study also measured the perceptions of influence of urban and rural messages on urban people and other rural people. Study 3 (N = 98) assessed the influence of an actual land use campaign delivered by an ingroup source on individuals’ attitudes and behaviours and the perceived influence on others. Study 4 (N = 249) built upon Study 2 but included additional measures to address some of the inconsistencies between Studies 1 and 2. To address the psychological underpinnings of group-based influence, Study 5 (N = 124) included measures of trust in urban and rural sources as well as reports of influence, agreement, and past behaviour. To conclude, Study 6 (N = 64) provided an experimental test of persuasion by manipulating the source of the message. Self-reported identification and intergroup threat were examined as moderators of group-based persuasion. Furthermore, attributions of constructiveness were explored as a possible reason for the superior influence of ingroups. Across the six studies it was found that ingroup messages were consistently more influential than outgroup messages. Attributions of trust and constructiveness helped to explain the superior influence of ingroups. In terms of perceptions of influence on others, there was a third-person effect for urban messages but rural people did not differentiate between themselves and other rural people in response to rural messages. Furthermore, rural identification was associated with greater reported influence from the ingroup source and perceived threat was associated with increased influence of rural messages compared to urban messages. These findings have clear implications for attempts at changing attitudes between groups, particularly where there is a salient and competitive intergroup context. Outgroups operate at a distinct disadvantage in delivering persuasive communications, especially if ingroup identification is high or there is a perception of threat stemming from the communicating group. Evidence of the persuasiveness of ingroups compared to outgroups is further strengthened by the perceptions of similarity in influence of rural sources for self and other ingroup members. The findings on trust and constructiveness hint at the possibility of overcoming barriers to outgroup persuasion if positive motives for the messages can be established. Of course, this depends on the severity of the intergroup context and the nature of communication. Recommendations are made for a collaborative approach to achieving change.

The aim of this thesis is to contribute with knowledge about if and how attitudes towards the welfare state in Sweden differ between people who live in sparsely populated areas and people in densely populated areas. We argue that the different conditions for welfare services to operate in different places, where cities have greater access to e.g. schools and health care from both public and private actors, while municipals in sparsely populated areas are characterized by fewer options and challenges in the upkeep of the existing services, could be of significance in people’s differing attitudes toward the welfare state. A quantitative study is implemented using data from the 2018 round of the Swedish Welfare State Survey, where five hypotheses are investigated by multivariate regression analyses. The result suggests that there are no significant differences in people’s attitudes toward the welfare state depending on where you live. Other factors, such as perceived risk, class, gender and age seem to explain differences in welfare state attitudes better. We conclude, however, that the performance of and attitudes towards welfare state services is a subject of interest for future research due to the potential consequences of an escalating urban-rural divide, as seen in other parts of the world.

Derived from the education division of China, this study emphasizes the urban-rural divide in students’ results of the NCEE (National College Entrance Examination). The NCEE is the official selection examination for higher education and the final examination of high school in Mainland China. As the major criterion in higher education selection, the divide can be found in the NCEE results of urban and rural students in which urban students are able to get higher grades than rural students. Aiming to discover the urban-rural divide in the NCEE results from how students prepare the NCEE in their high schools, this study uses a case of graduates of a “super high school” as an example. A “super high school” is a type of high school where achieving top performances of the NCEE is the goal of all pedagogic activities. Both urban and rural students can be enrolled in a “super high school”. The “super high schools” are common in overpopulated areas of China. In one way, the differences of urban and rural students in their high school studies can be perceived within a “super high school”; furthermore, the certain pedagogical activities of a “super high school” may influence students’ behaviours and trigger the urban-rural divide. Based on the theoretical frameworks of Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of capital, his theory of symbolic violence, and Erving Goffman’s theory of total institution, ten high school graduates as well as three of their high school teachers are interviewed in this study. The analysis focuses on three aspects, the differences between urban and rural students in terms of their educational resources and practices in high school, their behaviours in a “super high school”, and their attitudes towards the NCEE system. In summary, this study finds out that firstly, urban parents have more economic capital, social capital, and cultural capital than rural parents and they can offer more educational resources to their children in high school. Secondly, urban students are not very supportive of the “super high school” model but they can get more help from their teachers, while rural students strongly follow the “super high school” model but they don’t often get more help from their teachers. Last but not least, rural students attach great importance to the NCEE and their NCEE results, but urban students do not always think so.