The Politics of Property: Place-Making in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia

Una, Saxon, and Arcadia are three neighborhoods in Spartanburg County, South Carolina undergoing an era of neighborhood re- organization, change, and development. As historic textile mill villages from the county’s age of industrialization, the Una, Saxon, and Arcadia neighborhoods today are charact...

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Main Author: Sarah Buckmaster
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dalhousie University Libraries 2025-01-01
Series:The Journal for Undergraduate Ethnography
Online Access:https://ojs.library.dal.ca/JUE/article/view/12373
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author Sarah Buckmaster
author_facet Sarah Buckmaster
author_sort Sarah Buckmaster
collection DOAJ
description Una, Saxon, and Arcadia are three neighborhoods in Spartanburg County, South Carolina undergoing an era of neighborhood re- organization, change, and development. As historic textile mill villages from the county’s age of industrialization, the Una, Saxon, and Arcadia neighborhoods today are characterized by privately-owned, mid-century mill homes and a high population of renters. Neighbors are concerned about the dilapidated housing stock falling into disrepair and the resulting impacts of abandoned and condemned properties. To advocate alongside Una, Saxon, and Arcadia residents for equitable neighborhood investment, our research team conducted two years of mixed-method ethnographic research across the three neighborhoods to determine the impacts of abandoned and condemned properties on neighborhood wellness. Through our research collaborations, our team identified deeply personal and political associations between residents, their homes, and their stake in the Una, Saxon, and Arcadia community. Advocating for equity in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia cannot be simplified to one policy recommendation or development plan. Rather, collective organization and engagement amongst residents bolstered by key stakeholders, such as the county, may provide an equitable and inclusive path to reimagining neighborhood futures.
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spelling doaj-art-3b612e77e7424d5795fbcf9edfa271da2025-01-28T18:19:32ZengDalhousie University LibrariesThe Journal for Undergraduate Ethnography2369-87212025-01-01151647910114The Politics of Property: Place-Making in Una, Saxon, and ArcadiaSarah Buckmaster0Wofford CollegeUna, Saxon, and Arcadia are three neighborhoods in Spartanburg County, South Carolina undergoing an era of neighborhood re- organization, change, and development. As historic textile mill villages from the county’s age of industrialization, the Una, Saxon, and Arcadia neighborhoods today are characterized by privately-owned, mid-century mill homes and a high population of renters. Neighbors are concerned about the dilapidated housing stock falling into disrepair and the resulting impacts of abandoned and condemned properties. To advocate alongside Una, Saxon, and Arcadia residents for equitable neighborhood investment, our research team conducted two years of mixed-method ethnographic research across the three neighborhoods to determine the impacts of abandoned and condemned properties on neighborhood wellness. Through our research collaborations, our team identified deeply personal and political associations between residents, their homes, and their stake in the Una, Saxon, and Arcadia community. Advocating for equity in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia cannot be simplified to one policy recommendation or development plan. Rather, collective organization and engagement amongst residents bolstered by key stakeholders, such as the county, may provide an equitable and inclusive path to reimagining neighborhood futures.https://ojs.library.dal.ca/JUE/article/view/12373
spellingShingle Sarah Buckmaster
The Politics of Property: Place-Making in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia
The Journal for Undergraduate Ethnography
title The Politics of Property: Place-Making in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia
title_full The Politics of Property: Place-Making in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia
title_fullStr The Politics of Property: Place-Making in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia
title_full_unstemmed The Politics of Property: Place-Making in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia
title_short The Politics of Property: Place-Making in Una, Saxon, and Arcadia
title_sort politics of property place making in una saxon and arcadia
url https://ojs.library.dal.ca/JUE/article/view/12373
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