The Regional Construction of Identity and Scale in Wisconsin's Holyland

Abstract

Through an examination of a regional construct, this study reveals the relationships between the processes that shape the construction of identity and scale. This paper examines the political, social, cultural, and institutional forces that were most significant in the construction of identity and scale in a region known as the Holyland in east central Wisconsin. This study provides a glimpse into how particular geographic scales are constructed and how identity is significant at various scales. To understand how and why certain scales gain or lose importance, I consider the evolving network of power structures and social relations for this case study. An examination of community life can reveal the ways in which a regional consciousness and identity emerged over time. The people and institutions in Wisconsin's Holyland played a significant role in shaping its identity. Social, cultural, and political forces served to crystallize the region's identity during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These forces occurred at a variety of scales and ultimately contributed to the regional construction of scale of the Holyland. Regional geographies such as this provide ample opportunities for exploring the relationships between place and identity as well as the construction of scale.