Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2019

Document Type

Problem/Project Report

Degree Type

MS

College

Reed College of Media

Department

Reed College of Media

Committee Chair

Mary Kay McFarland

Committee Co-Chair

Emily Corio

Committee Member

Emily Corio

Committee Member

Glynis Board

Committee Member

John Temple

Abstract

Since the 1960s, cities throughout the world have confronted the phenomenon of deindustrialization, wherein economies advance and transition into a post-industrial environment. This evolution leads to complications on political, social, and economic scales, as localities struggle to find a path to the future that can guarantee the job security and community identity once offered by industry. Weirton, West Virginia, is one such place. The city, once home to Weirton Steel Corporation, a powerhouse steelmaker that employed 13,000 people, fell victim to the fall of the United States’ steel industry, and now is a shadow of its former self. This project showcases the struggles of Weirton in its post-industrial state by means of a five-part, personal narrative podcast. The episodes feature both voices of those who have worked in the mill as well as townspeople who were affected by the decline of the city to trace the history of the city and examine the social costs of deindustrialization. What was found were stories of suicide, population loss, economic hardships, as well as hopes for the future.

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