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C. William Swank Program in Rural-Urban Policy
*Ohio Shale Coalition Appears to have Overestimated Ohio Shale Job Creation by about 400%*
*Response to reactions to the most recent shale policy brief*
Latest Policy Briefs
THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF SHALE NATURAL GAS IN OHIO, Amada L. Weinstein and Mark D. Partridge (December, 2011)
HOW CAN STRUGGLING COMMUNITIES MAKE A COMEBACK?, Amanda L. Weinstein and Mark D. Partridge (June, 2011)
MAKING GREEN JOBS WORK FOR OHIO, Amanda L. Weinstein and Mark D. Partridge (December, 2010)
Recent News Coverage
AMERICA'S WORKFORCE RADIO, Amanda Weinstein is interviewed by Ed Ferenc about her shale policy study with Mark Partridge, January 20, 2012.
OHIO STATE STUDY FINDS NO JOBS BOOM, The Business Journal of Youngstown reports on Mark Partridge and Amanda Weinstein's shale policy study, December 20, 2011.
SHALE INDUSTRY'S ECONOMIC IMPACT DISPUTED IN STUDY, Mark Partridge is interviewes by the Youngstown Vindicator, December 17, 2011.
FRACKING SUPPORTERS HOPEFUL FOR BETTER ECONOMY, the Dayton Daily News cites Amanda Weinstein and Mark Partridge's recent shale policy brief, December 17, 2011.
SHALE GAS WILL NOT CREATE 200,000 OHIO JOBS BY 2015, OSU SAYS OF INDUSTRY CLAIMS, Mark Partridge is interviewed by The Plain Dealer, December 16, 2011.
STUDY DOUBTS SHALE GAS WILL BE JOB GUSHER, Mark Partridge is interviewed by the Columbus Dispatch about his recent policy brief with Amanda Weinstein, December 15, 2011.
UTICA SHALE BY THE NUMBERS, Mark Partridge is interviewed by WKSU, December 1, 2011.
IMF: INCOME INEQUALITY IS BAD FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, a Washington Post blog cites a 2005 study by Mark Partridge showing a strong middle class is positively associated with long-term state economic growth, October 6, 2011.
Recent Presentations
THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE IN BUILDING A STRONG WYANDOT COUNTY, presented by Mark Partridge at the Wyandot County Economic Development Conference in Upper Sandusky, OH, November 3, 2011.
DWINDLING U.S. INTERNAL MIGRATION: EVIDENCE OF A SPATIAL EQUILIBRIUM?, Gosnell Lecture presented by Mark Partridge at the Rochester Institute of Technology October 27, 2011.
THE REAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY, presented by Amanda Weinstein at the Renewable Energy and Rural Employment University of Kentucky Workshop advising the OECD Regional Development Policy Division, October 27, 2011.
Program Overview:
The goal of the Swank Program in Rural-Urban Policy is to lead a nationally and internationally recognized research and outreach program focused on priority issues related to rural and urban communities and their growth Led by Dr. Mark Partridge, the Swank Program combines innovative approaches in economic theory, planning, advanced statistical research, and geographical information systems to create products that can be used by the academic community, stakeholders, policymakers, students, and the public. In turn, the Swank Program will help inform and facilitate teaching and student research at Ohio State and elsewhere.
The Swank Program conducts and supports research, teaching, and outreach within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences; the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center; and Ohio State University Extension.
Research - Swank Program research has a public-policy focus on issues that have tangible impacts on the people of Ohio and the U.S. Our goal is to create academic research that is internationally recognized and policy briefs that summarize that work in a digestible manner for the public, policymakers, and other stakeholders. While the range of important issues related to rural and urban communities is vast, the Swank Program is currently considering the following issues in Ohio and the U.S.:
- Regional community economic growth
- Community governance and related policy tools for development
- The pattern and pace of development, including infrastructure provision
- Amenity led growth of natural and urban amenities
- The quality of rural, exurban, and urban life
- Poverty and income inequality in the wake of the Great Recession
Teaching - Our insights from research are integrated into the teaching program at OSU and will also inform teaching at institutions elsewhere. A variety of OSU graduate and undergraduate classes will expose students to the implications and policy choices related to rural and urban communities. Many of our key findings will be developed by undergraduate and graduate student projects and internships.
Outreach - The Swank Program aims to provide useful information to impacted communities, policymakers, professionals, stakeholders and residents. This information will be disseminated in a variety of ways including presentations, public policy briefs, and media reports. OSU Extension is a primary vehicle for our outreach efforts.
The Process -This policy program encourages professional interaction in rural and urban policy matters. We support workshops, seminars, conferences, and discussions that include diverse groups that share common goals. We will seek formal collaboration with other institutes, centers, researchers, and governments that are interested in rural and urban policy issues.
