Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Honors Thesis (Open Access)

Department

Colby College. Government Dept.

Advisor(s)

Nicholas F. Jacobs

Second Advisor

Daniel M. Shea

Abstract

This thesis investigates how rural identity, environmental values, and place-based resentment interact to shape support for land use regulation in rural New England. Despite their vulnerability to climate change, rural communities often resist renewable energy development—a pattern commonly attributed to economic concerns or NIMBYism. Using an original survey of over 1,400 New England residents, this study tests six hypotheses through multivariate regression and subgroup analysis. Findings confirm that environmental identity is a strong predictor of support for land use regulation; however, this effect diminishes significantly among rural respondents. Place identity alone is associated with greater policy support, but when combined with high levels of resentment, it predicts opposition, suggesting that attachment to place can become exclusionary. Rural identity itself emerges as a uniquely powerful force: even among high-environmentalism respondents, those identifying as rural residents consistently show lower support for regulation. Resentment toward perceived neglect or cultural displacement also consistently predicts lower support for regulation, particularly when paired with strong place attachment. These results demonstrate that opposition is not simply contextual or economic, but deeply symbolic—rooted in identity, belonging, and a desire for local autonomy. This study contributes to theories of political behavior and rural consciousness by showing how environmental policy is filtered through cultural meaning and community self-perception.

Keywords

Land use policy, renewable energy policy, environmental connectedness, place-based identity, rural resentment

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