Department or Program

Environmental Studies

Abstract

In my thesis, I examined the different narratives of place that exist in Lewiston's Riverfront Island Master Plan. This plan looks at how the downtown Riverfront area will be developed. I found several narratives in the plan, and focused in on its narratives of 'vacancy' and 'filling in' the area. These narratives, found in the words and images of the Master Plan, led me next to question: who/what gets to ‘fill in’ the Riverfront? In chapter 1, I begin with a theoretical overview and analysis of theories related to narratives of place and place studies, their significance, as well as theories related to urban planning and plans. Chapter 2 follows with a summary of Lewiston’s recent planning history leading up to the Riverfront Island Master Plan, and then moves on to an examination of this Plan’s narratives of Lewiston today. Next in Chapter 3, I continue an analysis of the plan’s narratives, shifting the focus to narratives found in the presentation of the Plan’s vision for Lewiston’s future. In Chapter 4, I get into the implications these different narratives have for the city and the residents of the downtown area. The final chapter, chapter 5, goes into a comparative analysis of another downtown plan, The People’s Plan, and what the Riverfront Plan could learn from its methods and presentations of narratives of place.

Level of Access

Restricted: Campus/Bates Community Only Access

First Advisor

Jane Costlow

Date of Graduation

Spring 5-2013

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Number of Pages

69

Download

Restricted

Available to Bates community via local IP address or Bates login.

Share

COinS