Hipsters have been an accepted part of urban life for decades. Research has been done on their role in gentrification – the process by which the socioeconomic and ethnic diversity of a marginalized, poor neighborhood is replaced by upper-middle class Caucasian transplants. (Jack Hackworth 2002) in “Post-recession Gentrification in New York City” tracks the progress and discusses the consequences of gentrification from the 1990s to now in New York City – an area where the population of hipsters is increasing at a rapid rate. This research, however, only includes racial diversity, but neglects to look at the biodiversity presented in an area. Is it possible that gentrification not only results in the loss of cultural diversity in an area, but the animal community as well? This research will provide insight into the broader effects of gentrification from beyond an urban studies or sociology perspective by integrating principles of biology and ecology into its study. Preservation of animal species could depend on the removal of hipsters from areas with lower diversity.
http://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/seminar3posters/files/gravity_forms/1-f14ea90e75361cb91bd42582a860ee01/2014/12/Hossain-Loscar-Yu-Meehan.pdf
Nabanita Hossain, Heidi Loscar, Winnie Yu
Kim Meehan, Sara Martucci
Hunter College
hipsters, biodiversity, manhattan, brooklyn, mustaches
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