In the wake of the giant: Conflicting ideologies and uneven development in a New England community.
Item
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Title
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In the wake of the giant: Conflicting ideologies and uneven development in a New England community.
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Identifier
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AAI9000706
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identifier
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9000706
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Creator
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Kirsch, Max H.
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Contributor
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Adviser: June Nash
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Date
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1989
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Anthropology, Cultural | Economics, General
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Abstract
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This work is about the restructuring of industry in a New England community and the reactions to that restructuring by various segments of the community's population. Specifically, the work concerns the community's attempts to adapt to the restructuring and to "redevelop" the area. It maintains that the current restructuring of industry in the United States is not a new phenomenon. Capitalist development requires periodic restructuring in order to confront class struggle and to renew and expand the avenues of profit required for the system to operate. The success or failure of community development efforts are rooted in ideologies that are representations of uneven development between corporate and community interests.;The particular site chosen for research embodied all of the conflicts between industry and communities generated by the capitalist enterprise. As an older industrial region controlled by a large multinational, the community was confronting, for the first time, the need to piece together its economic infrastructure and to take charge of development efforts. The result was the creation of a leadership vacuum observed in all arenas of community planning.;The dissertation provides an historical overview of the area and a discussion of the concepts of deindustrialization and restructuring. It then discusses development efforts in the community, both from the point of view of development specialists and from "native" and "non-native" points of view. Specific ideologies that relate to the processes of development are discussed in the context of development theory as it has evolved during the twentieth century. The entrepreneurial activity by a kin-based community is noted as a reaction and adaptation to multinational corporate dominance, and the contradictions created in belief and lifestyle are addressed. The role of the environment and industry in issues of human health and their consequent influence on redevelopment efforts is presented as a case study in corporate responsibility, ideology and discourse. The works ends a summary of the issues presented in the dissertation, with implications drawn for the construction of policy.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
