Abstract
The closure of steel mills along the Monongahela River in the late 20th century dramatically reshaped communities in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. This case study examines the enduring impacts of deindustrialization on McKeesport, Pennsylvania, one of those river towns and once at the epicenter of the Pittsburgh region's industrial revolution. McKeesport, like many former industrial hubs, has long grappled with the impacts of deindustrialization, including population loss, economic decline, and striking health disparities. The physical landscape bears witness to this transformation, with high rates of blight, vacant land, and abandoned properties. Through the lens of neoliberal capitalism, this research explores how deindustrialization fundamentally altered the community’s fabric and health outcomes. The question guiding this research is how do the long-term outcomes of deindustrialization impacting the built environment contribute to health experiences of the people who live in McKeesport, PA? The study identifies strategies for mitigating these impacts of deindustrialization, particularly by addressing the legacy that vacant land and abandoned property have on health policy implications. Ultimately, this project contributes to the broader discourse on reducing health disparities in deindustrialized communities, offering insights that may inform policy and revitalization efforts in similar post-industrial landscapes across the United States considering persistent neoliberal trends.
References
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