Remaking the Heartland

"In Remaking the Heartland, Robert Wuthnow demonstrates that the widely reported demise of the Midwest has been significantly exaggerated. Instead of a dying region, he finds a thriving one which has adapted to a challenging world by drawing on its own enduring institutions and behaviors."--David B. Danbom, author of Born in the Country: A History of Rural America"Remaking the Heartland takes a refreshing look at Middle America and dispels common myths about what is happening there. It turns out that it is not one big place that ought to be turned into a buffalo commons after all. Robert Wuthnow has written a fine and well-researched book that will change the minds of many readers in positive directions."--R. F. Diffendal, Jr., University of Nebraska-Lincoln"One of America's most prolific scholars of culture and change now turns his attention to his native Midwest. Robert Wuthnow paints a compelling portrait of the enduring vitality of this special part of America and offers a provocative narrative of how it is changing. Wuthnow's many fans--especially those with Midwestern ties--will enjoy his spirited, graceful, and well-evidenced argument that the heart of the American heartland still beats strong."--Robert D. Putnam, author of Bowling Alone and American Grace"Drawing on published sources, government statistics, and autobiographical material, this book is a comprehensive appraisal of the social transformation of Middle America."--Glenn Fuguitt, University of Wisconsin-Madison and coauthor of Rural and Small Town America"Remaking the Heartland is a compelling examination of the transformation of the Midwest in the postwar era. Combining an insider's empathy with the critical distance of someone who has moved away, Wuthnow debunks the myths of the heartland's decline and highlights the region's institutional riches and cultural creativity."--John Schmalzbauer, Missouri State University