Women and Leadership in Rural Areas

This study assesses female leadership in rural areas through analysis of interviews with government officials and recognized local leaders. Findings of previous community studies, which suggested that structural characteristics of communities influence their leadership patterns, have been incorporated into this study of gender. Key and action informant data were collected in four areas of rural Pennsylvania which differ in levels of urban presence and pressure. The findings revealed that men dominated rural leadership positions and were recognized as leaders more often than women, but that the gender ratios of leaders, as well as the types of women leaders who emerged, varied by site. Possible implications of these findings are advanced.