Shifting Sands: An Ethnographic Exploration of Sense of Place and Displacement on the Outer Banks

This thesis shows that ongoing processes of overdevelopment and gentrification on the Outer Banks lead to both direct and indirect displacement, fundamentally altering the sense of place among long-term residents. Direct displacement is understood as the physical relocation of individuals or communities due to rising housing costs and development pressures. On a more subtle level, indirect displacement is manifested in significant alterations to the natural, built, and cultural landscapes. Thus, while many residents can continue to afford living in their homes, their surroundings quickly become unrecognizable. Authors observe that such landscape changes, resulting from overdevelopment and gentrification, may lead residents to experience a ‘loss of place’. The research set out to explore this phenomena: do long-term residents, or “natives”, experience a loss of place, or ‘placelessness’, amidst ongoing development pressures and changing social structures? If so, how? Additionally,...Show moreThis thesis shows that ongoing processes of overdevelopment and gentrification on the Outer Banks lead to both direct and indirect displacement, fundamentally altering the sense of place among long-term residents. Direct displacement is understood as the physical relocation of individuals or communities due to rising housing costs and development pressures. On a more subtle level, indirect displacement is manifested in significant alterations to the natural, built, and cultural landscapes. Thus, while many residents can continue to afford living in their homes, their surroundings quickly become unrecognizable. Authors observe that such landscape changes, resulting from overdevelopment and gentrification, may lead residents to experience a ‘loss of place’. The research set out to explore this phenomena: do long-term residents, or “natives”, experience a loss of place, or ‘placelessness’, amidst ongoing development pressures and changing social structures? If so, how? Additionally, how do residents maintain their sense of place in the face of such displacement? The findings imply that those residents who manage to stay in place, despite rising costs, experience profound changes to their sense of place. However, residents also employ resilient practices in order to maintain their sense of place and retain a deep love of place amidst these rapid changes to their community, culture, and natural environment. The current written article is complemented by a 30-minute ethnographic film highlighting the complexities of place change and displacement for long-term residents of the Outer Banks.Show less

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Shifting Sands: An Ethnographic Exploration of Sense of Place and Displacement on the Outer Banks