Dirt Research

What is Dirt Research?

Rural communities require sensitive research approaches and methodologies due to their small size, unique cultural or socio-demographic compositions, and complexities in organizational or community relationships. Dirt Research puts an emphasis on the lived experience of rural communities and the populations within. Knowledge generated through a dirt research approach facilitates and promotes holism at the micro-level, strengths-based recommendations at the meso-level, and system reform at the macro-level. Dirt research is an inductive approach, one which is best suited for accounting for the dynamism of rural communities.

Student Perspectives

In October 2022, we asked several students about their perspectives on rural research and what a Dirt Research approach might mean for them. 

The first video is with Ronja Messmer and Emmy Fjallberg speaking about their research in rural nursing with Dr. Sam Petrie.

Academic Perspectives

In the following video, Professor Dean Carson discusses his perspectives on Dirt Research with Dr. Sam Petrie.

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