Strangers in Their Own Land

by

Arlie Russell Hochschild

A popular term for hydraulic fracturing, a relatively new technology that involves pumping pressurized water and chemicals into rock thousands of feet under the Earth’s surface in order to extract natural gas. While fracking is productive and profitable for oil companies, many believe that its negative environmental effects outweigh its benefits.
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Fracking Term Timeline in Strangers in Their Own Land

The timeline below shows where the term Fracking appears in Strangers in Their Own Land. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 6 – Industry: “The Buckle in America’s Energy Belt”
Government Regulation and Individual Freedom Theme Icon
The Environment and the Economy Theme Icon
Personal Identity and Emotional Self-Interest Theme Icon
Hochschild summarizes the century-long history of expanding oil extraction in the region. New fracking technology promises to release enormous underground deposits of natural gas and bring well-paying jobs to... (full context)
Chapter 16 – “They Say There Are Beautiful Trees”
The Environment and the Economy Theme Icon
Capitalism, Media, and Class Conflict Theme Icon
...took Hochschild out fishing. But he has “gone from the frying pan to the fire”—a fracking company was about to start dumping imported wastewater nearby. While Mike’s preferred presidential candidate was... (full context)