Today we went on a walking tour with Program Co-Director Keith Harris, whose dissertation research revolves around the fast-changing neighborhood of South Lake Union in Seattle. He acquainted us with the history, economics, and politics of this booming tech and science hub, and we tried out our research methods here in the field.
This neighborhood has gained notoriety in Seattle as the epicenter of the city’s recent economic and social transformations, largely due to an influx of tech workers associated with Amazon. Articles by the New York Times and on social media sites like Gawker have critiqued the ways that such employers treat their labor and how those employees, in turn, demand particular amenities that are changing the character of the city and driving up the cost of housing.
