Millionaires, Couch Hoppers, and Gas Babies: Institutional and Community Change in Marcellus Communities

• In Event: Contemporary Issues and Transformations in Rural Resource Communities

Abstract

The Marcellus industry is just beginning to affect rural schools and communities in Pennsylvania. Early research on the issue suggests one consequence of this boomtown industry is an uneven distribution of risks and opportunities within and across rural communities. This paper explores this phenomenon in six rural northern Pennsylvania communities, with a focus on three key changes resulting from the rise of Marcellus Shale extraction: a) the disruption of traditional, community power structures b) the transformation of community identities and values across different rural subgroups; and c) alterations in community and student relationships with schooling.

Authors

• Erin McHenry-Sorber, West Virginia University

• Kathleen Provinzano, Drexel University