Document Type

Honors Thesis

Major

International Affairs

Advisor(s)

Kristin Vekasi

Committee Members

Mark Brewer, Jonathan Malacarne, Cindy Isenhour

Graduation Year

May, 2025

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

This thesis examines the political, economic, and social conflicts surrounding cruise ship regulation in Bar Harbor, Maine. It investigates how divergent local constituencies — including year-round residents, seasonal homeowners, and tourism-dependent businesses — compete to define the town’s governance priorities amidst rising cruise ship visitation. Focusing primarily on the implementation of Land Use Ordinance §125-77H, which capped daily cruise disembarkation at 1,000 persons, and the failed alternative framework known as Chapter 50, the project maps the demographic and ideological cleavages shaping Bar Harbor’s contentious tourism debates.

Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative, grounded theory approach, drawing on document analysis, ethnographic observation, public meeting transcripts, legal filings, and stakeholder communications. Particular emphasis is placed on rhetorical and affective dimensions of resident discourse, treating language and testimony as artifacts of political identity and contested sovereignty.

The research finds that Bar Harbor’s cruise ship disputes reveal deep structural tensions between extractive tourism economies and local democratic governance. The results show that while cruise tourism provides measurable short-term economic benefits, its impacts are geographically concentrated, socially stratifying, and environmentally destabilizing. The town’s attempt to impose strict regulatory limits — and the ensuing legal battles — illustrate a broader struggle over local agency in the face of globally mobile capital. Ultimately, this thesis argues that Bar Harbor’s experience exemplifies the challenges small coastal communities face in balancing economic dependency with community integrity, environmental stewardship, and democratic self-determination.

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