House Rules: Urgency, Gridlock and Institutional Culture in North Shore Massachusetts

Abstract

Cape Ann located north of Boston on the Atlantic Coast is widely recognized as a coherent place and cultural destination. Yet, it lacks a co-located administrative boundary within the structures of United States federalism and home rule in Massachusetts. Unlike many other states, Massachusetts does not maintain intermediary governance such as counties. As a result, Cape Ann faces a fragmented landscape for addressing the intensifying pressures of climate uncertainty and aging infrastructure. The absence of the ‘middle scale’ provides a critical lens to understand how territorial identity operates independently of formal jurisdictions. Through an investigation of regionalism and the institutional patchwork in Cape Ann, an organizational logic is developed to assess how these dynamics shape the conversation around practical challenges. This thesis not only describes Cape Ann’s institutional culture but also proposes novel perspectives on regional capacity to navigate gridlock in the face of shared risk and accelerating change.