Dr. Paul Lasley

Dr. Lasley is the chair of both the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Sociology. His research focuses on the organization of U.S. agriculture and how changes in agriculture affect rural communities. A major focus of his research examines trends in rural culture and what these trends suggest about the future of rural communities, families and social organizations. Dr. Lasley is a co-investigator of the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll, a series of statewide surveys among farm operators on major agricultural and rural development issues. Areas of research and extension expertise include rural development, community development, sustainable agriculture, and leadership in agriculture.