Orientador: Auro Aparecido Mendes / Resumo: Ao longo do século XX, o capital produtivo industrial passou por metamorfoses significativas pautadas por reestruturações produtivas e organizacionais diante de transformações econômicas e tecnológicas proporcionadas pela revolução técnico-cientifico-informacional, interferindo diretamente na distribuição espacial das corporações e estabelecendo novas divisões territoriais do trabalho. As transformações espaciais promovidas pelas constantes dinâmicas do sistema capitalista construíram novos processos de acumulação. Durante a segunda metade do século XX, diversos países periféricos atuam com uma participação mais ativa no processo de acumulação ampliada do capital. Com a instalação de unidades produtivas de multinacionais, países com potencial produtivo instituíram políticas públicas de estimulo aos investimentos estrangeiros diretos, com maiores participações no contexto produtivo mundial. Esse fenômeno ocorreu de forma mais intensa em países da Ásia e da América Latina. No contexto de intensas transformações políticas, econômicas, culturais promovidas pela interligação de amplas redes de circulação e comunicação, o Brasil intensifica sua atuação na economia global, complexificando os seus circuitos espaciais da produção e estabelecendo círculos de cooperação entre os agentes globais. Esse processo se deu de forma concentrada no estado de São Paulo. Os circuitos espaciais da produção e os círculos de cooperação instituídos na cidade de São Paulo e em sua região metropolitana ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Throughout the 20th century, the industrial productive capital has passed through significant metamorphosis guided by productive and organizational restructurings in the face of economical and technological changes provided by the technical-scientific-informational revolution, interfering directly in the spatial distribution of the corporations and establishing new working territorial divisions. The spatial changes promoted by constant dynamics of the capitalist system have built new processes of accumulation. During the second half of the 20th century, many peripheral countries have acted with a more active participation in the process of expanded capital accumulation. Within the installation of multinational productive facilities, countries with productive potential have instituted public policies to stimulate direct foreign investments, with higher participation in the global productive context. This phenomenon has occurred with more intensity in Asian and Latin American countries. In the context of intense political, economical and cultural transformations promoted by the interconnection of wide circulation networks and communication, Brazil intensifies its performance in the global economy, complexsifying its spatial circuits of production and establishing cooperation circles among global agents. This processes happened in a concentrated form in the state of São Paulo. The spatial circuits of production and circles of cooperation instituted in city São Paulo and in its m... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

The urban climate study has a great importance in regard to the understanding of man's relationship with nature and climate-city relationship, especially from the changes promoted with urbanization. This perspective has motivated this study on the Urban Climate of Agudo/RS, especially in raising the thermodynamic channel, according to the SCU proposed by Monteiro (1976), in four different climatic situations, two in winter and two in summer. For this research, it became relevant theoretical background to the topic, as well as field survey for recognition of information relevant to the search. In the urban and rural environment near Agudo, mobile transects were made to collect temperature and relative humidity at three times: at 6AM, 3PM and 9PM in four different dates, two in winter and two in summer with the aid of datalogger and GPS. After data collection, they were tabulated and spatialized with GIS support for further analysis with the geoecological and geourban data of Agudo, in order to understand if there was or not manifestation of urban climate in this city. There was training in two moments of freshness island phenomenon, one in the winter, under the control of the "Anticyclonic Polar Sea Weather", associated with the Polar Atlantic anticyclone with maritime trip, and the other in summer, in the area of "Low pressure Continental weather" associated with the field of Tropical and Continental air Mass. Both registered freshness islands were weak magnitude, with 1°C difference less than its near surroundings. In this sense, the different weather systems involved do not provide different magnitudes, which can be explained by Agudo s urbanization not be very pronounced if the same phenomenon was recorded in a larger urban area, in the town of Agudo does not favor the formation an island of coolness medium or strong magnitude, regardless of atmospheric ruling system, given its degree of urbanization. Since the formation of heat islands in Agudo was restricted to the summer period, and both associated with tropical atmospheric domains, with Tropical Atlantic air mass, forming the "anticyclonic TropicalSea weather" and Tropical Continental air Mass, forming the "Low pressure Continental weather". However, the magnitude of the heat island was stronger when the presence of tropical masses with formation inside the south- American continent, which brings more heat than the tropical oceanic ones. / O estudo do clima urbano é de grande importância no que se refere à compreensão da relação do homem com a natureza e da relação clima-cidade, sobretudo, a partir das modificações promovidas com a urbanização. Essa perspectiva motivou este estudo sobre o Clima Urbano de Agudo/RS, especialmente no levantamento do canal termodinâmico, segundo o SCU proposto por Monteiro (1976), em quatro situações climáticas distintas, sendo duas no inverno e duas no verão. Para a realização desta pesquisa, fez-se fundamentação teórica pertinente ao tema, bem como, o levantamento de campo para reconhecimento de informações relevantes para a pesquisa. No ambiente urbano e rural próximo de Agudo, foram feitos transectos móveis para coleta de dados de temperatura e umidade relativa do ar em três horários distintos: às 6h, 15h e 21h, em quatro datas diferentes, sendo duas na estação de inverno e duas no verão, com o auxílio de datalogger e GPS. Após coleta dos dados, os mesmos foram tabulados e espacializados com auxílio de GIS para posterior análise com os dados geoecológicos e geourbanos de Agudo, com a finalidade de entender se houve, ou não, manifestação do clima urbano nesta cidade. Houve formação em dois momentos de fenômeno de ilha de frescor, sendo um no inverno, sob domínio do Tempo Anticiclônico Polar Marítimo , associado ao Anticiclone Polar Atlântico com trajetória marítima, e outro no verão, sob domínio do Tempo Depressionário Continental , associado ao domínio da Massa Tropical Continental. Ambas ilhas de frescor registradas foram de fraca magnitude, com 1°C de diferença a menos do que em seu entorno próximo.Nesse sentido, os diferentes sistemas atmosféricos envolvidos não propiciam diferentes magnitudes, o que pode ser explicado pela urbanização de Agudo não ser muito pronunciada, caso o mesmo fenômeno fosse registrado em uma área urbana maior, ou seja, a cidade de Agudo não favorece a formação de uma ilha de frescor de média ou forte magnitude, independente do sistema atmosférico reinante, dado ao seu grau de urbanização.Já a formação das ilhas de calor em Agudo esteve restrita ao período do verão, e ambas associadas aos domínios atmosféricos tropicais, com a Massa Tropical Atlântica, formando o Tempo Anticiclônico Tropical Marítimo e Massa Tropical Continental, formando o Tempo Depressionário Continental . No entanto, a magnitude a ilha de calor foi mais forte quando da presença das massas tropicais continentalizadas, que trazem mais calor do que as tropicais oceânicas.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-02-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:24:50Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 figueiredo_vdm_dr_rcla.pdf: 1592292 bytes, checksum: 44bc836e094e41b46c253cf567a73028 (MD5) / Esta tese é o resultado da pesquisa efetuada em um conjunto amostral de pequenos municípios e pequenas cidades (inferiores a 10.000 habitantes) do estado gaúcho. O estudo identifica e explora o referencial bibliográfico sobre pequenas cidades e pequenos municípios, como uma categoria marginalizada em muitas ciências, inclusive na Geografia. Em seguida centra-se nos contrastes do perfil do desenvolvimento econômico e da qualidade de vida do conjunto face ao estado e, às vezes, às cidades principais das mesorregiões. Buscou-se verificar de forma detalhada o perfil demográfico, bem como as características das administrações locais e os resultados configurados em renda per capita, IDH, PIB. Complementarmente, um questionário foi elaborado e remetido aos chefes dos governos locais. Os resultados do conjunto estudado permitiram constatar que entre estes municípios existem diferenciações marcadas pelas desigualdades dos indicadores demográficos, sociais, políticos e econômicos, as quais se refletem na qualidade de vida de seus residentes. A pesquisa também assume relevância pelo fato de, além de exibir uma dimensão histórica, conter elementos para reflexões sobre o futuro. / The thesis is the result of a research carried through a amostral set of small municipalities and small cities (inferior 10.000 inhabitants) in the referred state. The study identifies and explores the bibliographical referential on small municipalities and small cities, as a category marginalized in many sciences, mainly in Geography. Afterwards the text is centered in the contrasts of the economic development profile and the quality of life conjunct face the state situation and, sometimes, the main cities of the sub-regions. The thesis sought to verify thoughrouly the demographic profile, as well as the local administration characteristics and the figured results for per capita income, HDI, GDP. Complementarily, a questionnaire was elaborated and sent to the heads of the local governments. The studied conjunct results had allowed to evidence that between these cities exist differentiations indicated by different demographic, social, economic and political indexes, which reflect in the quality of life of their residents. The research analysis also assumes relevance for the fact of, besides showing a historical dimension, containing elements for reflections on the future.

Orientador: Eliseu Savério Sposito / Banca: Beatriz Ribeiro Soares / Banca: Ângela Maria Endlich / Resumo: Esta dissertação baseia-se em um recorte espacial centrado nas cidades pequenas da Décima Região Administrativa de Presidente Prudente-SP e tem como foco de contribuição a análise da dimensão territorial geográfica da indústria, no contexto econômico do interior paulista. O espaço produzido é acrescido por fatores econômicos na contemporaneidade, e compreender o arranjo de articulações arquitetadas em torno da questão industrial de determinada região é condição sine qua non para a reflexão das transformações que incidem direta ou indiretamente no mundo do trabalho, das finanças, do meio-técnico-científico-informacional, entre outros. Diante desses processos, o debate está ligado à necessidade de ampliar, na Geografia, a discussão das cidades pequenas e, aqui, especialmente, atentar-se-á para a dimensão desses centros no âmbito da "arena" capitalista do interior paulista, com ênfase na análise dos principais segmentos da indústria. Com esse intuito, entende-se que o estudo de determinadas particularidades geográficas também deve constar neste exame de maneira mais aprofundada e por esse motivo, elegeu-se a região administrativa de Presidente Prudente. Nesse sentido, espera-se que esta pesquisa possa contribuir do ponto de vista qualitativo, para a análise do mapa da indústria no início do século XXI, tendo como referência a reflexão das cidades pequenas em relação à questão industrial / Abstract: This dissertation is based in small cities located in the Tenth Administrative Area of Presidente Prudente-SP, and it focuses on the geographical territorial dimension analysis of industry within economical context in São Paulo state. The produced space gets additional economical factors. Understanding the arrangement of articulations built around industrial issues of certain region is sine qua non condition for reflecting on the transformations that directly or indirectly happen in the world of job, finances, and milieu techno-scientificinformational, among others. Facing these processes, the debate is linked to the need of widening, in Geography, the discussion about small cities and, mainly, it will be intended to look at the dimension of these centers in the context of the capitalist scene of São Paulo estate. Emphasis will be given to the analysis of the main industrial segments. It is understood that the study of certain geographical particularities should also appear in this exam in a deeper way. And because of this the region of Presidente Prudente was chosen. It is expected that this research could contribute, from the qualitative point of view, to the analysis of the industrial map in the beginning of the twenty first century, taking the reflection about small cities in relation to industrial issues as a reference / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-01-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:26:35Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 silva_pfj_me_prud.pdf: 3031688 bytes, checksum: 2205a3a074ba16ed6c2180dc8855a6c1 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Esta dissertação baseia-se em um recorte espacial centrado nas cidades pequenas da Décima Região Administrativa de Presidente Prudente-SP e tem como foco de contribuição a análise da dimensão territorial geográfica da indústria, no contexto econômico do interior paulista. O espaço produzido é acrescido por fatores econômicos na contemporaneidade, e compreender o arranjo de articulações arquitetadas em torno da questão industrial de determinada região é condição sine qua non para a reflexão das transformações que incidem direta ou indiretamente no mundo do trabalho, das finanças, do meio-técnico-científico-informacional, entre outros. Diante desses processos, o debate está ligado à necessidade de ampliar, na Geografia, a discussão das cidades pequenas e, aqui, especialmente, atentar-se-á para a dimensão desses centros no âmbito da “arena” capitalista do interior paulista, com ênfase na análise dos principais segmentos da indústria. Com esse intuito, entende-se que o estudo de determinadas particularidades geográficas também deve constar neste exame de maneira mais aprofundada e por esse motivo, elegeu-se a região administrativa de Presidente Prudente. Nesse sentido, espera-se que esta pesquisa possa contribuir do ponto de vista qualitativo, para a análise do mapa da indústria no início do século XXI, tendo como referência a reflexão das cidades pequenas em relação à questão industrial / This dissertation is based in small cities located in the Tenth Administrative Area of Presidente Prudente-SP, and it focuses on the geographical territorial dimension analysis of industry within economical context in São Paulo state. The produced space gets additional economical factors. Understanding the arrangement of articulations built around industrial issues of certain region is sine qua non condition for reflecting on the transformations that directly or indirectly happen in the world of job, finances, and milieu techno-scientificinformational, among others. Facing these processes, the debate is linked to the need of widening, in Geography, the discussion about small cities and, mainly, it will be intended to look at the dimension of these centers in the context of the capitalist scene of São Paulo estate. Emphasis will be given to the analysis of the main industrial segments. It is understood that the study of certain geographical particularities should also appear in this exam in a deeper way. And because of this the region of Presidente Prudente was chosen. It is expected that this research could contribute, from the qualitative point of view, to the analysis of the industrial map in the beginning of the twenty first century, taking the reflection about small cities in relation to industrial issues as a reference

Orientador: Odeibler Santo Guidugli / Banca: Silvia Selingardi Sampaio / Banca: Ricardo Rossato / Banca: Elson Luciano Silva Pires / Banca: José Xaides de Sampaio Alves / Resumo: Esta tese é o resultado da pesquisa efetuada em um conjunto amostral de pequenos municípios e pequenas cidades (inferiores a 10.000 habitantes) do estado gaúcho. O estudo identifica e explora o referencial bibliográfico sobre pequenas cidades e pequenos municípios, como uma categoria marginalizada em muitas ciências, inclusive na Geografia. Em seguida centra-se nos contrastes do perfil do desenvolvimento econômico e da qualidade de vida do conjunto face ao estado e, às vezes, às cidades principais das mesorregiões. Buscou-se verificar de forma detalhada o perfil demográfico, bem como as características das administrações locais e os resultados configurados em renda per capita, IDH, PIB. Complementarmente, um questionário foi elaborado e remetido aos chefes dos governos locais. Os resultados do conjunto estudado permitiram constatar que entre estes municípios existem diferenciações marcadas pelas desigualdades dos indicadores demográficos, sociais, políticos e econômicos, as quais se refletem na qualidade de vida de seus residentes. A pesquisa também assume relevância pelo fato de, além de exibir uma dimensão histórica, conter elementos para reflexões sobre o futuro. / Abstract: The thesis is the result of a research carried through a amostral set of small municipalities and small cities (inferior 10.000 inhabitants) in the referred state. The study identifies and explores the bibliographical referential on small municipalities and small cities, as a category marginalized in many sciences, mainly in Geography. Afterwards the text is centered in the contrasts of the economic development profile and the quality of life conjunct face the state situation and, sometimes, the main cities of the sub-regions. The thesis sought to verify thoughrouly the demographic profile, as well as the local administration characteristics and the figured results for per capita income, HDI, GDP. Complementarily, a questionnaire was elaborated and sent to the heads of the local governments. The studied conjunct results had allowed to evidence that between these cities exist differentiations indicated by different demographic, social, economic and political indexes, which reflect in the quality of life of their residents. The research analysis also assumes relevance for the fact of, besides showing a historical dimension, containing elements for reflections on the future. / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-13T17:10:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FranciscoEG.pdf: 1202985 bytes, checksum: 99b11f43f0a8a9e79292e8fe63306771 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-04-15 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / In view of the diversity and the heterogeneity of the existing cities in Brazil, our approach refers to the urban and non-metropolitan areas. Aiming to foment the studies on small cities e to apprehend the sociospatial configuration of the urban environment in such cities, this piece of work elaborates and analyzes the urban profile of the small cities of the Agreste Potiguar region, using as a theoretical reference landmark the production of the urban and regional space, from the decade of 1970 to 2000. Starting from this reference, this piece of work presents an urban sociospatial characterization of the small cities of the Agreste Potiguar region, with emphasis on the economic framework, on the population dynamics, on the main social data, culminating in the main characteristics of the local daily life. The study of the small cities of the Agreste Potiguar region makes it possible the comprehension of the problems that involve the cities of this size, above all, those inserted in economically fragile regions. In the analyzed period, the changes occurred in the productive structure of the State of Rio Grande do Norte triggered a great crisis in the economy of the Agreste Potiguar region. This aspect, allied to the insufficient performance of the public power, contributed to the sprouting of some sociospatial problems, amongst which may be distinguished: the economic fragility, the generalized unemployment, the lack of security and the urban infrastructure absence sufficient to take care of the social demand. Even facing the existing problems, the small cities must be seen as potential spaces, capable to promote the regional development. To do so, it is necessary a process of democratization of the public administration, an ample popular participation and the establishment of a new urban policy, that aims at the social promotion of the individuals, the guarantee of basic necessities and the access to the necessary services to a dignified life / Tendo em vista a diversidade e a heterogeneidade das cidades existentes no Brasil, nosso enfoque remete-se ?s ?reas urbanas n?o-metropolitanas. No intuito de fomentar os estudos sobre as cidades pequenas e apreender a configura??o socioespacial do urbano em tais cidades, este trabalho elabora e analisa o perfil urbano das cidades pequenas do Agreste Potiguar, utilizando como marco de refer?ncia te?rica a produ??o do espa?o urbano e regional, entre as d?cadas de 1970 e 2000. Partindo desse referencial, o trabalho apresenta uma caracteriza??o socioespacial urbana das referidas cidades, com ?nfase no quadro econ?mico, na din?mica populacional, nos principais indicadores sociais, culminando com as principais caracter?sticas da vida cotidiana local. O estudo das cidades pequenas do Agreste Potiguar possibilita o entendimento da problem?tica que envolve as cidades desse porte, sobretudo, as que est?o inseridas em regi?es economicamente fr?geis. No per?odo analisado, as mudan?as que se processaram na estrutura produtiva do Rio Grande do Norte desencadearam uma grande crise na economia do Agreste Potiguar. Esse aspecto, aliado ? insuficiente atua??o do poder p?blico, contribuiu para o surgimento de v?rios problemas socioespaciais, dentre os quais se destacam: a fragilidade econ?mica, o desemprego generalizado, a falta de seguran?a e a aus?ncia de infra-estrutura urbana suficiente para atender a demanda social. Mesmo diante dos problemas existentes, as cidades pequenas devem ser vistas como espa?os potenciais, capazes de promover o desenvolvimento regional. Para tanto, faz-se necess?rio uma democratiza??o na gest?o p?blica, uma ampla participa??o popular e a efetiva??o de uma nova pol?tica urbana, que vise ? promo??o social dos indiv?duos, ? garantia de necessidades b?sicas e ao acesso aos servi?os necess?rios a uma vida digna

Cette thèse vise à appréhender les rapports à l’espace et la coprésence des individus habitant de façon temporaire ou permanente une ville soumise au double processus de patrimonialisation et mise en tourisme. Si de nombreux «hauts-lieux» touristiques dont le développement est fondé sur le patrimoine, tels les centres anciens de Venise ou Bruges ou Tolède, sont caractérisés par le fait qu’ils sont investis par les touristes jour et nuit tout au long de l’année, nous pouvons nous demander comment fonctionnent et évoluent les lieux urbains patrimoniaux qui connaissent une fréquentation touristique moins forte et davantage marquée par la saisonnalité.En ce sens, les petites villes mises en tourisme et en patrimoine constituent un terrain d’enquête fécond, d’autant qu’elles retiennent encore peu l’attention des géographes s’intéressant au tourisme. Considérant l’urbanité telle que définie par Lévy et Lussault comme le croisement de la densité et de la diversité, ces villes connaissent des degrés d’urbanité fluctuant, passant d’une certaine forme «d’entre-soi» hors saison touristique à une forte densité doublée d’une mixité importante en haute saison.Dans l’objectif d’appréhender les rapports à l’espace, nous nous intéressons aux représentations, aux pratiques et aux modalités d’appropriation de l’espace par des individus habitant de façon temporaire ou permanente Dinan (Côtes d’Armor) et Sarlat (Dordogne), deux villes connaissant des niveaux de mises en tourisme et en patrimoine conséquents mais différents. Reprenant la typologie développée par l’Équipe MIT, ce sera alors une lecture croisée d’une ville à fonction touristique et d’une ville touristifiée qui sera menée. / This thesis aims at understanding the relation to space and the co-presence of individuals living temporarily or permanently in a city subjected to the double process of heritage and tourism. While many "hauts-lieux" which development is based on heritage, such as the ancient centers of Venice or Bruges or Toledo are characterized by the fact that they are invested by tourists day and night throughout the year, we can ask ourselves how urban heritage places, which have a lower level of tourist activity and are more marked by seasonality, operate and evolve.In this sense, small touristic and historic cities constitute a fertile ground of inquiry, especially since they still receive little attention from geographers interested in tourism. Considering urbanity as defined by Lévy and Lussault combining density and diversity, these cities experience various degrees of urbanity, moving from a form of "entre-soi" outside the touristic season to a high density coupled with a high mix in high season.In order to understand the relation to space, we are interested in the representations, practices and modes of appropriation of space of individuals living temporarily or permanently in Dinan (Côtes d'Armor) and Sarlat (Dordogne), two cities with different levels of touristic development and heritage making, substantial but different. Using the typology developed by the Equipe MIT, it will be a cross-reading of a city with a tourist function and a touristified city that will be carried out.

This thesis is an assessment of the experience of small town local economic development in four towns namely Graaff-Reinet, Somerset East, Aberdeen and Pearston situated in the Eastern Cape Midlands, South Africa. It aims firstly to provide a critical overview of these selected small town economies before evaluating their local responses to the changing economic climate. The study is contextualized within the framework of locality development and emphasizes the heterogeneity of small towns with regards to physical, socio-economic, demographic and historical elements. From this, the original economic reasons for existence of these small towns are ascertained and then the major changes that occurred are identified. Amongst other aspects, the changes in the agricultural sector, the demographic changes particularly with regard to the significant increase in the urban population and the fluctuations in the quantity and types of businesses have all played a part in transforming the small towns' economies. As a result of these changes and many external driving forces such as changes in the regional and national economy, there are many severe challenges facing these small towns especially regarding the high unemployment rate, the associated poverty, HIV/AIDS and the low volume or absence of private investment into these localities. The responses of these small towns to the daunting challenges that they face have been considered in terms of Local Economic Development (LED) strategies that have been implemented. The LED initiatives in each town are examined in the context of their general characteristics, objectives, achievements and challenges. Emphasis is placed on Somerset East as it is the only town in the study area that has a development agency actively promoting various forms of LED. What has ultimately been established is: in all four towns, LED is not making a significant or meaningful difference and that natural market and economic forces play an important role in shaping and dictating the local economy. Somerset East is the only town where the economy could potentially be restructured with the proposed mega market-led approach to tourism and planning in the form of the Boschberg Development node. Four sectors perceived to be required for locality development are considered in this study, namely the export sector, the human resources, the local service sector and the government agencies. It is ascertained that although these sectors need to be part of a symbiotic relationship to promote and enhance economic development, they are not present in all the towns and as a result development, at both a household and a macro town level, is further hindered. Ultimately, these small towns in the Eastern Cape Midlands defy the notion that they are dying. 'Growth' and 'decline' have been two central features throughout this thesis and one of the biggest contradictions and challenges that these small towns face is the population growth with a declining or stagnant economy that cannot accommodate the increased number of people.

In the following nine linked stories, characters from disparate backgrounds and socio-economic strata converge in a rural community along the Missouri river in central Montana. A Texas-based oil exploration and production company takes up residence in the area, causing a stir in the neighborhood. Long-time local residents experience their daily lives amid a tourist driven economy and reaffirm their aspirations to leave despite significant obstacles and limitations. In "Show Me the Way to Go Home," a young waitress is stranded after a car accident and seeks help from residents living on the single row of houses in the area. In "Give Death Grace," a resident artist leaves to resolve her tumultuous past with her father. In "A Good Little Fisherwoman," a woman deals with the repercussions of her recent reproductive decisions during a fishing trip. In "Little Fires," a local man deals with the tragic burn injury of a child while also facing deeply rooted resentments with his mother. In "Dwelling," an aging local must decide whether or not she will sell her home to two strangers. In "Other Important Areas of Functioning," a woman decides to discontinue her mood stabilizing medications in favor of a more natural lifestyle. While this place means something different to each of these characters, they all coexist while facing individual challenges.