Access Type

Open Access Thesis

Date of Award

January 2015

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Krista M. Brumley

Abstract

Research shows the emergence of community gardens in urban areas serves to address issues such as food scarcity and community cohesion, creating positive implications at the neighborhood and city wide level. However, the research does not adequately address the impact it may have on a micro level in middle-upper class areas, potentially hindering the gardening movement. Understanding community gardens in all socioeconomic settings will be important to the broader sustainable food movement’s current and future success. In this thesis, I ask: what are the motivations and impacts of community gardening? The objectives are to understand how motivations and impacts may be different depending on the community context of the garden, in this case a middle-upper class area. Using qualitative in-depth interviews, this study explores these issues and their implications at a small-scale community garden in a privileged neighborhood in a mid-western city. In addition it may highlight areas of community gardening that warrant further research studies.

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