The Hector Backbone: A Quiescent Landscape of Conflict

James A. Delle1, Patrick Heaton2
1Department of Anthropology & Sociology, Kutztown University, Kutztown, USA
2John Milner Associates, Croton-on-Hudson, USA

Tóm tắt

The Hector Backbone, a ridge running north-south between New York’s Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, appears at first glance to be a peaceful stretch of woodland and pasture protected as part of the Finger Lakes National Forest. Upon closer inspection, the Backbone can be seen as a microcosm of American conflict. The area was settled only after the indigenous Iroquoian people were violently removed. This ethnic cleansing was followed by the imposition of an orderly grid. The landscape was carved into farmsteads that, following a brief period of prosperity, fell victim to conflict inherent in the capitalist system. Unable to compete with factory farming techniques and the increased commodification of agrarian products, local producers fell into ruin. This paper analyzes how these conflicts can be read in this seemingly pastoral landscape.

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