A spatial history of protest in Boston
Name
1003291708-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
13.87 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
b7384af34cf8c98138486dcf59a94a94
Author(s)
Kerr, Cortni (Cortni Heather)
Advisor(s)
Justin Steil.
Date Issued
2017
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
The location of a protest is a crucial element in protesters' ability to make their grievances or demands heard. Despite the significance of protest location and scholars' emphasis on the importance of urban space in social movement mobilization, there is limited research on the spatial patterns of protest over time. This thesis utilizes the Dynamics of Collective Action dataset to identify, geocode, and map 421 protests, rallies, sit ins, and marches that took place in the Boston area between 1960 and 1995. In addition to identifying the location of protest events, this study classifies and analyzes protest space typologies. The analysis reveals the durability of university and government spaces as protest locations, as well as the Boston Common. In addition, it identifies the significance of Boston Public School desegregation as a catalyst for neighborhood protests during the 1970s, particularly in South Boston. This thesis concludes with a discussion of the mechanisms that shape the spatial patterns of urban protest and engages in a critical reflection on the consequences for urban planners and residents.
Description
Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2017.
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 54-59).
Subjects
Urban Studies and Planning.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Terms of Use
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