Why the resistance
movement against the
Potsdam Wal-Mart failed
a frame-based analysis
by Max Edmands

Primary Sources
1. Personal interviews
2. WCKN video of town meetings
3. Records from Town and Village
4. News articles

1. History
2. Frames
3. Analysis

1988 2008

1988 2008
November 1988:
Initial interest
with Village

Wal-Mart
openings
(until 2005)
1998:
2390 stores

- Wanted water & sewage system
- Village wanted $118,000 for building permits
1988 2008
November 1988:
Initial interest
with Village

1988 2008
2001:
November 1988:
Communication ends
Initial interest
with Village

- Citizens for Responsible Growth incorporates
- Environmental Impact Statement battle
1988 2008
March 2004:
November 1988: 2001:
Wal-Mart
Initial interest Communication
with Village ends comes back

Wal-Mart
openings 2004:
(until 2005) 2942 stores
1998:
2390 stores

1988 2008
December 2005:
November 1988: 2001:
Lawsuits
Initial interest Communication
with Village ends March 2004:
Wal-Mart comes
back

1988 2008
July 2007:
November 1988: 2001:
Construction
Initial interest Communication
with Village ends begins
March 2004:
Wal-Mart comes
back
December 2005:
Lawsuits

1. History
2. Frames
3. Analysis

Frames
1. Identity frames
2. Characterization frames
3. Whole Story frames

Outsiders and Locals

Students and Professors

Working-class community members
and
Small business owners

Small-town preservers and Active resisters

1. History
2. Frames
3. Analysis

Analysis:
How could the resisters have done better?

Strategy #1:
Amplifying the voices of local “celebrities.”

Strategy #2:
Giving the working class a viable alternative to
the Wal-Mart.

Strategy #3:
Emphasizing labor unions.

Photo Sources:
Google Maps North Country Now
http://www.northcountrynow.com/hometown-photos/view.asp?
a=Potsdam&id=1736
Wal-mart openings data compiled by omas J. Holmes
for his paper “Diffusion of Wal-Mart and Economies of
Density”
http://econ.umn.edu/ holmes/data/WalMart/index.html
All other images by Max Edmands