Pondering the Continued Existence of the 'Rust Belt'

Scott Suttell begins this survey by analyzing whether the term "Rust Belt" is pejorative, outdated and unfairly describing the industrial Midwest "with an unflattering label that misleads the rest of the country about what’s happening here."

Suttell considers two opposing viewpoints on the use of the word, before deciding not to use the term in his own writing, and asking for ideas for a replacement.

An article by Alexia Fernandez Campbell goes further than considering the demise of the term "Rust Belt," instead suggesting that part of the region commonly referred to as the Rust Belt needs to embrace decline. In effect: that parts of the Rust belt "need to die off." That article presents an interview with Galen Newman, an assistant professor of landscape architecture and urban planning at Texas A&M, who, along with Justin Hollander of Tufts University, are leading researchers in the concepts of "smart decline." Contrast smart decline with the more common talking point of smart growth, and it's easy to understand why some communities aren't rushing to embrace decline.

Jason Segedy, blogger at Notes from the Underground, has written in response to that interview, admitting a visceral response to the ideas of smart decline before presenting a rational case. The article is long and in-depth, addressing a series of questions about the future of Rust Belt cities in thorough detail.