Mining the Heartland: Nature, Place, and Populism on the Iron Range

Mining the Heartland is a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of the cultural struggles and political conflicts surrounding proposed copper-nickel mines in Minnesota's Iron Range.

Through a detailed examination of over 100 ethnographic interviews with local residents, union leaders, scientists, and more, Kojola sheds light on the complex dynamics at play in these populist movements.

By focusing on both pro- and anti-mining groups, he reveals how class, race, and gender shape people's relationships to the land and the ways in which whiteness and masculinity operate among urban and rural residents.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the nuanced political struggles surrounding natural resource extraction and the ways in which they impact working-class communities in Minnesota and beyond.