Local control in economic development: an urban - rural comparison in the North

Abstract

This thesis examines economic development proposals in two communities in Alaska: Girdwood, a small urban community in the south-central area of the state; and Nuiqsut, a small rural community on the North Slope. Each community in located within a larger, regional government and has little formal control over economic development within its jurisdiction. The study's framework is based on an examination of contemporary urban political theories and their application to non-urban settings; inherent in the framework is an emphasis on historical, cultural, and social values to understand the political dynamics that affect decision making in communities. The study finds that the structure of local government may lead to a lack of historical, social, and cultural considerations in economic development decisions made by the more dominant government entities, unless the dominant government shares the values of the affected community. A major implication is to expand current explanations of economic development in urban and rurual communities by including the influences of historical, social, aand cultural values of affected communities, as an alternative to the market model.