1 The Social Impact of BoundariesHow Drawing Lines Creates Conflict Jim Castagneri, Geographer U.S. Census Bureau
2 A classic example of a world region that has seen conflict for thousands of years…where boundaries were drawn to attempt to resolve conflict…
3 Tobias Konrad Lotter, German Cartographer 1759“Terra Sancta sive Palæstina exhibens no folum Regna vetera Iuda et Israel in fuas XII Tribus diftincta, fed etiam eorundem diverfarum ætatum conditionem et facta in Sacris Paginis idicata”. English Translation: The Holy Land or Palestine showing not only the Old Kingdoms of Judea and Israel but also the 12 Tribes Distinctly, Confirming their Locations Diversely in their Ancient Condition and Doing So as the Holy Scriptures Indicate. Tobias Konrad Lotter, German Cartographer 1759
4 The Social Impact of BoundariesSo what are boundaries? The standard definition usually includes something like; “A dividing line between two areas”…. If we think about it for a second…what exactly ARE boundaries?
5 The Social Impact of BoundariesFor our discussion, that “Dividing Line” can take one of two general forms: Physical Boundary Social Boundary
6 The Social Impact of BoundariesIn the early days of human history, boundaries were almost certainly those of a physical nature. For example; The seashore A mountain range A large river These would have served as quasi-permanent barriers to early humans…
7 The Social Impact of BoundariesLater in our history, boundaries have been defined as part of a social construct. For example; A cultural heartland A linguistic pocket Cultural and language diversity increased as human populations dispersed across the globe
8 The Social Impact of BoundariesIsn’t it odd that human beings have spent generations trying to overcome physical boundaries while constantly defining new social ones?? Columbus conquered the oceanic boundary when he sailed to the “new world”. Sir Edmund Hillary overcame the tallest mountain in the world when he summited Mt Everest. The United States even sent men to the moon, crossing one of the most formidable boundaries of all…Space!
9 The Social Impact of BoundariesSocially defined boundaries are sometimes the focus of greatest conflict. What are some of these? Political Boundaries Administrative Boundaries Statistical Boundaries
10 The Social Impact of BoundariesPolitical Boundaries Nations, States, Cities Taxation Regulation Governmental Functions Administrative Boundaries Maritime Boundaries National Parks/Public Lands Land Ownership/Parcels Fire Districts Statistical Boundaries Census Tracts Census Designated Places
11 How Does Conflict Arise?Usually because of a lack of (perceived or not) resources: Natural Power and/or Money Labor
12 The Social Impact of BoundariesResource and Cultural Conflicts: These have been at the foundation of humanity since the beginning of time…
13 The Social Impact of BoundariesBut does drawing a boundary really create conflict? Let’s look at a few examples from closer to home…
14 The Social Impact of BoundariesExample; Congressional Redistricting Doesn’t recognize Federal land ownership…refused to pay grazing fees.
15 Harris County Texas showing percentage of Hispanic residents…
16 Harris County Texas showing percentage of Hispanic residents…showing the City of Houston
17 One of four majority-minority states, Texas grew by 4One of four majority-minority states, Texas grew by 4.3 million people between 2000 and 2010, two-thirds of them Hispanics and 11 percent black. As a result, the state gained four Congressional seats this cycle. Yet the number of seats to which minority voters could elect a candidate declined, from eleven to ten. As a result, Republicans will pick up three of the four new seats. “The Texas plan is by far the most extreme example of racial gerrymandering among all the redistricting proposals passed by lawmakers so far this year,” says Elisabeth MacNamara, president of the League of Women Voters.
18 The Social Impact of BoundariesExample; Strip/Flagpole Annexations Annexation and Taxation
19 The Social Impact of BoundariesExample; Census Designated Places…
20 Buford, WY Was the smallest “city” in the nation with population ‘1’…until the Census Bureau deleted the CDP Funny thing is, it was never a City at all. The Census Bureau had designated it as a CDP in The population continued to decline…so it was removed.
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23 Lost it’s I-80 highway sign after the Census Bureau deleted the CDP…Point of Rocks, WY Lost it’s I-80 highway sign after the Census Bureau deleted the CDP… The highway department removed the sign along I-80…Uh oh.
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25 But, Point of Rocks was a famous stage stop on the Overland Trail in the early 1840’s…
26 A town along I-90 had to change it’s highway sign…Beulah, WY A town along I-90 had to change it’s highway sign… In census 2000, we counted 33 people. They loved it and marketed it everywhere. There is even a “33 Café” in town. In Census 2010, we counted more people….they protested…Huh?
27 A CDP in Platte County WY…Slater, WY A CDP in Platte County WY… A GIS analyst was preparing an impact statement for a proposed pipeline and discovered the USDOT has regulations under the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) that regulates such things for populated places…including CDPs
28 74 square miles with no core area. Why is this still a CDP74 square miles with no core area. Why is this still a CDP? No local participation in the 2010 PSAP is the primary reason.
29 Boundaries seem to define a kind of local identity that people either agree with or not….Perhaps the key to future conflict resolution is more careful consideration of that local identity…
30 Jim Castagneri U.S. Census BureauThank you! Jim Castagneri U.S. Census Bureau