Sociological Analysis of Flint, Michigan

The Flint Water Crisis perfectly captures the intersecting themes of economic restructuring (globalization), neoliberalism, race, poverty, and place as determinant to the plight of Flint residents. Exploring the topic through recent media coverage and using your understanding of the themes above, submit an organized 800-1000 word critical analysis of the issue that summarizes your understanding of the problem from a sociological perspective

Primers listed below:

Economic restructuring: Think of the post-war manufacturing might of Flint and the automobile industry compared to current economy.  How does this effect household incomes, local government revenues, etc.?

Neoliberalism: Contemporary politic demands "efficiency" in government while stripping away the resources for public services in touting a low taxation environment.  See Gov. Snyder's politics of austerity (controlling public spending to "stabilize" fiscal health of governments).

Race: Environmental racism and the pernicious effects of class and race as power determinants.

Poverty: Do the people of Flint have the agency (financial or otherwise) to leave Flint?

Start with these below 7 articles:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/who-poisoned-flint-michigan-20160122

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/16/flints-water-crisis-what-went-wrong

http://inthesetimes.com/article/18794/flint-water-crisis-neoliberalism-free-market-reforms-rick-snyder

https://www.propublica.org/article/the-referendum-that-might-have-headed-off-flints-water-crisis

http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21688922-how-michigans-state-government-endangered-people-flint-flinty-taste

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/22/us/a-question-of-environmental-racism-in-flint.html

http://www.theguardian.com/money/us-money-blog/2016/feb/11/flint-water-crisis-profit-privatization