This book examines predominantly rural regions of the United States that lag behind the rest of the country in income, employment, access to services, and measures of education and health. Case studies of nine regions examine historical background; current economic and social conditions (including demography, educational attainment, and occupational structure); outmigration; effects of government policies; and local attempts at economic development. A final chapter summarizes relevant social-science theories, particularly dependency and world-systems models, and discusses public policy prescriptions that might improve rural opportunity. Chapters are: (1) "Forgotten Places: Poor Rural Regions in the United States" (Thomas A. Lyson, William W. Falk); (2) "Uneven Development in Appalachia" (Dwight Billings, Ann Tickamyer); (3) "The Reported and Unreported Missouri Ozarks: Adaptive Strategies of the People Left Behind" (Rex R. Campbell, John C. Spencer, Ravindra G. Amonker); (4) "Life in the Forgotten South: The Black Belt" (William W. Falk, Clarence R. Talley, Bruce H. Rankin); (5) "The Mississippi Delta: Change or Continued Trouble" (Stanley Hyland, Michael Timberlake); (6) "Industrial Development and Persistent Poverty in the Lower Rio Grande Valley" (Rogelio Saenz, Marie Ballejos); (7) "The Forgotten of Northern New England" (A. E. Luloff, Mark Nord); (8) "Ontonagon: A Remote Corner of Michigan's Upper Peninsula" (Harry K. Schwarzweller, Sue-Wen Lean); (9) "The Failure of Sustained-Yield Forestry and the Decline of the Flannel-Shirt Frontier" (concerning Pacific Northwest timber towns) (Michael Hibbard, James Elias); (10) "In the Shadow of Urban Growth: Bifurcation in Rural California Communities" (Ted K. Bradshaw); and (11) "Forgotten Places Redux" (William W. Falk, Thomas A. Lyson). This book contains extensive references and an index. (SV)