Investigating the Impact of Racial Capitalism and Chemical Alterlives on Black Communities and Their Environments: A Qualitative Study in Uniontown, Alabama

The environmental justice movement has made strides during the past few decades. However, with environmental inequities still prevalent throughout the United States, more research is necessary to advance the environmental justice discourse, provide education and awareness, and to implement positive impactful policies that will promote quality living for minority and low-income communities. Using community based participatory action research, this study utilizes the concepts of racial capitalism and chemical alterlives to provide an additional lens to environmental justice research. The study is based in Uniontown, Alabama where three industrial facilities are based: Arrowhead Landfill, Southeastern Cheese Corporation, and Harvest Select Catfish Plant. The research aims to investigate how the operations of three industrial facilities impact the livelihoods of Uniontown residents. The results display resident experiences that detail the detrimental effects industrial facilities have on communities such as Uniontown, but also the hope and strength of the region that emerges when there is unity.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S., Natural Resources

Level thesis:degree_level

Master of Science

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Natural Resources

Grantor

Cornell University

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Heath, Neelia

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Melnick, Amiel
• Kessler, Chloe

• Black Belt
• Chemical Alterlife
• Chemical Alterlives
• Environmental Justice
• Intersectional Environmentalism
• Racial Capitalism

Statement dc:rights

• Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

Licence dc:rights.uri

• https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7298/25bc-0b92

Dc Identifier Other

ProQuest Submission ID: 12034
ProQuest Publication ID: 30991268

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ecommons.cornell.edu:1813/115819