Doctoral Dissertation: Community and Rapid Growth in Burlington, Kentucky

Indiana University, Bloomington IN

Investigators

Abstract

This dissertation research will investigate how well a sense of community survives the rapid incorporation of an existing town into a larger metropolitan area. Divisions between newcomers and longtimers may emerge in conflicts over zoning, schools, and political office. These divisions may be reinforced by distinctive subcultures and interaction networks within the town. As the town grows and becomes more integrated into the metropolitan area, the town will become less important as an identity for local residents. These issues will be investigated using a variety of methods (a survey, oral histories, secondary data, and ethnographic observation) in Burlington, Kentucky, a small town on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Ohio.