Advancing rural understanding by connecting research & practice in the South.
About SRSA
The Southern Rural Sociological Association brings together scholars, students, Extension professionals, and practitioners interested in rural people and places. We advance the study, understanding, and application of rural sociology in the South, while welcoming members and perspectives from across the country.
Our annual meeting is central to the association. Held in conjunction with the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS), it provides a place to share research, exchange ideas, and build relationships across disciplines and career stages. Collegial conversation and student participation are central to that community.
Leadership
President
Dr. Kara Woods
Alcorn State University
President Elect
Dr. Ryan Thomson
Auburn University
Program Chair
Dr. Kelli Russell
Auburn University
Program Chair Elect
Dr. Courtney Brown
Oklahoma State University
Secretary Treasurer
Dr. Robert Zabawa
Tuskegee University
Grad Student Rep
Madison Harris
Auburn University
Past President
Russ Garner
Communities Unlimited
Our History
The SRSA roots trace back to 1933. That was the year rural sociology joined agricultural economics in a shared section of the Association of Southern Agricultural Workers (ASAW), the forerunner of SAAS, establishing a regional home for the two fields.
When the joint section reorganized in 1968, rural sociologists pursued a separate Rural Sociology Section within ASAW. With encouragement from John Dunkelberger (Auburn University), Bill Kuvlesky (Texas A&M University), and colleagues, Dan Alleger (University of Florida) became its first chairman. The section held its first meeting in February 1969 in Mobile, Alabama, laying the foundation for today’s SRSA.
The association’s publishing tradition began in 1983 with Southern Rural Sociology, renamed the Journal of Rural Social Sciences in 2010. Through its annual meetings and journal, SRSA continues this tradition of shared inquiry into rural issues and change. Read the full history below.
Governance & By-Laws
SRSA is governed by its Executive Committee and Bylaws and participates in the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists as the Rural Sociology association. SRSA maintains its own membership, officers, programs, and publications while coordinating its annual meeting with SAAS.
Our bylaws outline the association’s purpose, membership, leadership responsibilities, elections, and operating procedures.