Fear and Loathing in a Paper Mill Town: Local Perceptions of Globalization

A Finnish-based forest products company recently purchased the paper mill in a small community in northeastern Wisconsin (pop. 1,800). The 362 responses to a mailed survey demonstrated the community’s perception that their future is uncertain. Quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed that residents expressed genuine distrust of the new global corporate owners. Residents reported that the current corporate owners did not support the schools and other community activities as much as previous owners. Globalization has bred contempt and fear in this community dependent upon a foreign-owned paper mill.