"The divisive 2016 presidential election suggested the presence of a rift between residents of urban areas and those in rural communities, with fundamental differences in beliefs and values between the two. While the election spurred renewed interest in this divide, the divergence in the perspectives and priorities of urban and rural communities has existed throughout American history. This volume explores how the urban-rural divide came to exist, as well as how it impacts politics, whether technology has decreased or increased this sense of division, and what-if anything-can be done to unify Americans"--Provided by publisher.