Globalization, Place and Masculinities

Abstract

The small town of Ashland in North America was once a quiet, leafy, green, out of the way location. A country-loving visitor described it as a perfect example of small-town America, a spot that had a ‘sense of unique place’ and a feeling of ‘what makes my town different’ (Store Wars 2001). That was before Wal-Mart came to town. Space and place were reconfigured around the global sign of the world’s largest retail outlet, as Wal-Mart built new roads and reconstructed the face of consumption in Ashland. When Wal-Mart set up shop in Ashland, it squeezed out the flows of capital that used to be directed towards local businesses.