Rural Sodolol:)' 61 (I), 1996, pp. 77-102 Copyright 4) 1996 by the Rural Sociological Society A Sociology of the Periphery Versus a Peripheral Sociology: Rural Sociology and the Dimension of Space! Linda Lobao Rural Sociology Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 AnSTRACf Rural sociology is intrinsically concerned with the spatial di- mensions of social life. However, this underlying research tradition, par- ticularly the use of space as a research strategy, has been insufficiently addressed and its contributions to general sociology are little recognized. I outline how concern with space, uneven development, and the social relationships of peripheral settings have provided substantive boundary and conceptual meaning to rural sociology, propelled its evolution, and left it with a legacy of strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. A willingness to tackle the dimension of space and the thorny problems it raises often sets rural sociologists apart from other sociologists. This research tradi- tion contrasted with general sociology's concern with developing gener- alization, aspatial covering laws, and proto-typical relationships of mod- ern or Fordist development settings. Conceptual openings have left sociologists questioning their past agenda. Coupled with the "creative marginality" inherent in the questions and contexts addressed by rural sociologists, this makes the subfield central to contemporary sociology. Introduction Geographic space is the single element that has linked the diverse concerns of rural sociologists since our subfield's inception. The dimension of space gives rural sociology a sense of subject matter and boundary. Attempts to deal with spatial issues have spurred not only enormous debate and fractionalized rural sociology, but have also led to exciting conceptual innovations and set the path for sub- sequent evolution. A concern with the unevenness of change and the marginality this often brings to rural places and livelihoods means that we have traditionally grappled with a development set- ting more complex than that considered by general sociology. In- herent in rural sociology are conceptual questions, substantive fo- cuses, and methodological issues reflective of a social reality that defies easy generalization. It is concern with the development con- text of the spatial periphery that, I believe, may have insulated rural sociology in the past, but which now provides our strongest contri- bution to the sociological discipline. Space as a concept has both particularistic and relational dimen- sions. The first reflects "place," a distinct spatial unit and setting I This article is a contribution to the USDA National Research Competitive Grants Program, project #93-37401-8972. The author gratefully acknowledges the helpful comments of reviewers Clare Hinrichs, Tom Lyson, Shaunna Scott, Ann Tickamyer, and particularly, Gil Gillespie, who provided thoughtful and extensive suggestions which made this a better piece.