Spaces of Coastal Capitalism in the United States: Race, Housing, and Coastal Management

Keywords: coastal planning, climate justice, racial justice, historical geography, political ecology, urban political ecology
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Saturday
Session Start / End Time: 2/26/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/26/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 58

Abstract

This paper traces the emergence of coastal capitalism within the United States through a comparative analysis of four regions: the Mississippi Delta, the Miami metropolitan area, the Georgia Sea Islands, and the New Jersey shore. By examining the ways in which housing policy, coastal management, and racial formation unfolded in these places during the 20th century, the paper provides an account of how the racially, economically, and ecologically uneven modern American coast emerged and spread due to intentional and unjust actions by a range of social actors. This history of the American coast presents key insights for ongoing efforts to justly and sustainably plan for resilience by (a) highlighting how seemingly race neutral planning strategies have racially uneven impacts and (b) pointing towards the need for radical and transformative approaches.