This article reports on one of many small towns that became weekend retreats for urban professionals in the 1980s. The influx of weekenders changed the social structure of the town, and, inevitably, the newcomers represented a status threat to older, high-status elements of the town. The interaction between the “old” and “new” status groups was characterized by status defensiveness on the part of the former and status insecurity on the part of the latter. In contrast to earlier studies of status competitiveness, this study is unique because the new status group was composed of part-time residents.
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