Researcher ORCID Identifier

0009-0003-7802-0351

Graduation Year

2026

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Politics and International Relations

Reader 1

Nancy Neiman

Reader 2

Urmi Engineer-Willoughby

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

2025 Pia N Snellman

Abstract

While California’s modern citrus production is mainly centered in the Central Valley, Southern California was once the home of hundreds of thousands of commercial citrus groves. These groves have since been replaced with residential and industrial development, but the history and physical development associated with the citrus belt continue to affect this region. This thesis examines whether Southern California’s citrus industry has had a progressive or exploitative lasting legacy. Focusing on the impacts that this industry has had on environmental, social, and suburban contexts, this thesis suggests that exploitation and progress mark the orange empire’s legacy through opposing yet dynamic ways. While the industry is widely framed as a progressive contributor to the state’s development, it has fostered the oppression and mistreatment of natural resources and laboring communities in this land. When exploitation reached breaking points where crisis conditions threatened the longevity of the citrus industry, progressive advancements in technology and social organizing were achieved –or at least pursued. This dualistic yet intertwined relationship of progress and exploitation leaves a nuanced footprint on the modern physical and cultural landscape. This thesis concludes with a call for greater awareness of the bittersweet history of citrus in California and suggests that learning from this history can inspire a positive, transformational legacy moving forward.

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