Year of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Geography

Other Degree Name/Area of Focus

Community and Environmental Planning

Department or School/College

Geography

Committee Chair

Dr. Sarah Halvorson

Commitee Members

Dr. Neva Hassanein, Dr. Jeremy Sage

Keywords

food insecurity, post-industrial decline, urban geography, Butte, Montana

Abstract

On the “Richest Hill on Earth” or Butte, Montana, a dilemma of food insecurity persists. This dilemma broadly consists of limited access to affordable, healthy, and appropriate nutrition for the city’s urban population. This thesis constructs a historically and contextually-informed understanding of food insecurity in Butte since the city’s establishment in 1864. Food insecurity research largely lacks place-specific consideration of historical events and processes which contribute to and reinforce the root factors contributing to food insecurity. Butte was once a thriving copper-mining boom town yet saw the decline of its primary industry in the late 20th century. In 2020, nearly one fifth of the population was living below the federal poverty line, and 19.5% of all residents were determined to be food insecure. In light of its industrial history and current socio-economic vulnerabilities, Butte represents a prime location for a case study of food insecurity in the post-industrial Rocky Mountain West. The first part of the study presents an investigation of the dynamic factors contributing to food insecurity through three main phases of Butte’s history: pre- and early settlement, industrial boom times, and post-industrial decline. The analysis reveals the persistence of food insecurity that influenced a portion of the lived experiences of Butte’s population, even before the loss of its primary industry of copper mining in the late-1900s. The process and outcomes of post-industrial decline which impacted the local food system and transformed the drivers of food insecurity are also examined. The second part of the study examines the contemporary situation, including the environmental and socio-economic factors contributing to food insecurity in Butte. Current efforts to address the challenges as well as a path forward into a more food-secure future are explored. Through a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative key informant and oral history interviews and participant observation with quantitative GIS analysis, this research seeks to analyze and contextualize the historical chains of explanation that help to decode contemporary patterns and experiences of food insecurity in Butte, Montana. The findings suggest that efforts in local food infrastructure and community planning could support urban residents’ capacities in addressing their food needs.

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© Copyright 2022 Elizabeth Anne Bett Osborn