The New Landform’s Here! The New Landform’s Here! We’re Somebody Now!! The Role of Discursive Practices on Place Identity

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title

Rural Sociology

Publication Date

2004

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Volume

69

Issue

3

First Page

386

Last Page

404

Abstract

On the border of western Iowa, a new landform—the “Loess Hills,” is being created. While scientific discourse surrounding the landform has been on going for a century, “discovery” of the landform by local residents is a recent occurrence, stimulated by socioeconomic changes resulting from the “farm crisis.” As this case study shows, the initial scientific discourse and claims, as presented in a series of publications, established the uniqueness and rarity of the hills in scientific terms. Through a complexity of discursive practices, this internalized scientific community discussion was brought into broader public conversations. Aspects of the discursive practices have been taken on by residents at the local level and appropriation of the “Loess Hills” name and facts attributed to the landform has resulted in reshaping place identity among rural residents and altering the traditional power position within the region, with “hill people” now becoming “Loess Hills People.”

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Originally published by Wiley-Blackwell. Published on behalf Rural Sociological Society. Publisher's PDF available through remote link.

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