Like Mixing Oil and Water? The Take-Up of Sustainability in Hard-to-Reach Places—An East Texas Case Study

Abstract

Following studies about the adoption of sustainability initiatives in both innovative and ordinary U.S. cities, this article offers a unique view of sustainability in hard-to-reach places where regulation and planning are viewed with suspicion. Taking an interpretive approach to policy analysis, the article asks if hard-to-reach places are destined to remain untouched by what many argue is a central tenet of modern planning. In so doing, it offers a key point of contrast to studies on cities at the vanguard of change, reminding us how critical it is to recognize all types of communities in our research and practice.