Conceptions of Community During Amenity-Based Development: The case of Great Barrington, MA
Open Access
- Author:
- Laliberte, Nicole
- Graduate Program:
- Geography
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- None
- Committee Members:
- Lorraine Dowler, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Lorraine Dowler, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor - Keywords:
- Amenity-Based Development
Community
Feminist Theory
Landscape - Abstract:
- Bucolic landscapes, quaint towns, and affordable land have made many rural areas prime locations for amenity-based development. In the case of Great Barrington, MA, such development has brought with it increased tourism as well as new full- and part-time residents. The subsequent growth has complicated ideas about who are “real” members of this community. In this paper, I investigate the ways in which the concept of community interacts with amenity-based development using Great Barrington as a case study. Working in collaboration with The Alliance for a Healthier Great Barrington, I conducted semi-structured interviews with a wide ranging sample of full- and part-time residents. Combining this information with town planning documents and local newspaper and magazine articles, I analyze the many ways in which community is defined and invoked during discussions about growth development in the town. I then look at how conceptions of community from my research relate to community and justice in liberal, communitarian and feminist theories. Situating local discourses within these theoretical frameworks allows for a greater understanding of the conflicts that arise during town planning. Whether it is managing the landscape through the Scenic Mountains Act or mixed-use zoning of downtown sites, there is a constant struggle in Great Barrington to prioritize needs based on conceptions of the community and ideas of justice.