Session 7, Resource Inequality: Power, Environment, and Survival

Описание: The Harm of Distant Water Fishing
Sebastian Linnell-Simmons
Professor: Janzen

China’s distant water fishing (DWF) armada has become the largest driver of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This study addresses how China's fleet has affected global fish stocks, violates maritime law established by the United Nations, and undermines the local economies that rely on fishing. The analysis of data on global fish populations, Automatic Identification System (AIS) geospatial data for vessels, and financial records, shows that fish stock health is declining due to destructive fishing tactics and profit that is directly benefiting Chinese corporations instead of local economies. Despite the economic harm being hidden in the aquaculture reports, the financial loss and ecosystem destruction negatively affect all countries where distant water fishing occurs. This research helps to understand what economic impact distant water fishing has on a global scale. This paper argues that China’s DWF practices impose measurable harm on vulnerable coastal states and highlights the need for stronger international enforcement mechanisms to protect marine resources and local livelihoods.

Feudalism and Feast: Peasantry and Nobility Diets in Medieval England
Jin Valencia-Tow
Professor: Quave

Feudalism and Feast: Peasantry and Nobility Diets in Medieval England” examines how class differences are reflected in medieval English foodways. Drawing upon archaeological, historical, and artistic fields, the paper covers areas such as diets in castles, peasant foods, and rituals of preparing food such as hunting. Key themes include the significance of grain and bread as a staple in feudal England, medieval cookbooks and recipes, use of color, etc. Using this evidence, the paper traces a system in which foodways reinforce class hierarchies and illustrate medieval social order. Overall, the paper tells a story of food, class, and attempts to answer the questions: 1) How was food used during medieval England between 1000-1300 as a marker of class and social status, in particular, what key differences existed between castle dwelling nobility and lower class “peasants?” and 2) How have historians and archaeologists approached the study of medieval food differently? What kinds of evidence do they use, and where do their interpretations diverge?

Fatal Floods and FEMA Files: An Analysis of the Risk Facing Low-Income, Rural Areas when Applying for FEMA Aid
Moriah Musick
Professor: Sauer

This project is an examination of the risks facing rural, impoverished communities when applying for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following natural disasters. The project focuses on the thousand-year flood that occurred in southeast Kentucky in July of 2022, specifically focusing on Perry County, KY. Although FEMA is tasked with providing disaster recovery, this project argues that institutional roadblocks, communication failures, and data-oriented policy devices systematically disadvantage communities in low-income areas, creating a “second-disaster” throughout the recovery process. Analyses of FEMA’s Survivors’ Road to Recovery webpage, interviews with key stakeholders and community members, along with existing studies on disaster inequality, expose critical gaps between bureaucratic expectations and stakeholder knowledge. Requirements such as proof of home occupancy, overreliance on internet access, and secretive timelines exclude rural residents at much higher rates than wealthier, urban applicants. Additionally, practices by FEMA — such as their National Risk Index — prioritize asset value over human livelihood, further marginalizing these at-risk communities. By utilizing risk communication theories, this project demonstrates how FEMA’s current strategies worsen wealth disparities and exacerbate poverty and housing insecurity within these communities. Concluding the project are recommendations for equity-focused strategies aimed at improving federal disaster recovery efforts.