In the Wake of the Giant: Multinational Restructuring and Uneven Development in a New England CommunityBased on anthropological fieldwork in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, In the Wake of the Giant has implications for towns and cities across the country and internationally. It traces the history of the Pittsfield region, the U.S. economy, and the tidal wave of multinational corporate restructurings. Comparing communities undergoing restructuring to newly independent states, Kirsch shows how these communities confront for the first time the challenge of directing their own present and future. The turmoil that develops as a result of these changes, and the means by which individuals, kin-groups and community voluntary organizations react and adapt are central themes of the book. |
Contents
The Chosen Community | 3 |
Restructuring Megaindustrialization and | 11 |
The Region and Industry in History | 23 |
Trade Union Erosion | 29 |
The Pittsfield Community | 35 |
Development Strategies | 51 |
Development and Ideologies of Economic Growth | 57 |
Uneven Development and Relations of Dependency | 64 |
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Common terms and phrases
agencies American Amoskeag Anthropology Berkshire County Berkshire Eagle Biddeford Boston building capital capitalist century city government city managers city's class struggle commissioner competition concerned corporation costs crisis Culture decline deindustrialization deskilling division downsizing downtown economic development Electric plant Electric's employees employment England entrepreneurs environmental factory GE plastics going Gordon growth Harrison Housing ideology increase individuals industry issues Jack Welch June Nash labor force Lakewood major mall manufacturing Massachusetts mayor ment mill Mold moldmaking multinational Nash nomic organizations owners PCBs percent Pittsfield plastics firms political population power transformers problem production profit Public Theater Pyramid Companies relations relationship residents responsibility restructuring result role Second World War service sector social strategies Street structure textile tion told tourist town trends U.S. Census union United University Press urban wages workers World York