Michael Broadway

Michael Broadway is Professor of Geography and the former Dean of Arts & Sciences at Northern Michigan University. His research expertise focuses on the meatpacking industry’s community impacts. In 2006 he was a visiting Fulbright Research Chair in the Department of Rural Economy at the University of Alberta. He is a co-author with Donald Stull of Slaughterhouse Blues: The Meat and Poultry Industry in North America. (2nd edition 2011: Cengage). More recently he has published on a variety of food and drink related topics including food tourism, slow food and coffeehouses.

Health in the UP: Is it Improving?

Is overall health in the Upper Peninsula improving? Michael and John Broadway take a look at the data, comparing UP county health rankings for the state in 2011 to 2023.

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Recent UP Migration Trends and Their Economic Consequences

In their latest Rural Insights article, Michael and John Broadway expand their previous study on migration trends for the UP to all 15 counties, and share what conclusions we can draw from this data.

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Climate Change and Migration: Could Marquette County Become a Climate Haven?

The effects of climate change continue to dominate this summer’s headlines with record breaking heat…

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Exploring the Latest Census Bureau Estimates of UP Population Change from 2020 to 2022

The latest article by Michael and John Broadway explores the complex demographic changes happening in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and looks at the effects of population decline and growth on the region’s economy and environment.

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The Challenge of New Home Construction in Marquette County

In their latest article, Michael and John Broadway examine the housing crisis in the US with a focus on Marquette County, discussing the causes of reduced housing supply, rising costs, and new local developments–set against the backdrop of data from the Federal Reserve.

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Demography is Destiny? The Implications of Declining School Enrollment for the Upper Peninsula

In his latest article, Michael Broadway takes a look at the drop in school enrollment in the Upper Peninsula and the consequences this decline might have, and discusses what we might do to address this issue.

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Changes in the UP Economy: 2017-2021

Michael and John Broadway examine the recent changes to the Upper Peninsula’s GDP in the aftermath of Covid-19, and determine which sectors of the UP’s economy are growing and which are underperforming.

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Covid 19 and Population Change in the Upper Peninsula 2020-2021

Michael Broadway takes a look at the effect Covid-19 has had on population in the Upper Peninsula from 2020 to 2021 using data from the Census Bureau, and discusses the conclusions that can be drawn from this data.

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I (Might Be) Leaving on a Jet Plane: Flight Delays in the Upper Peninsula

Michael and John Broadway take a look at the degree to which flight delays in and out of Marquette have increased due to weather conditions, comparing data from the Bureau of Transportation. They also offer a possible solution to the travel issues the Upper Peninsula currently faces.

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Michigan’s Urban-Rural Divide

Is there a clear rural-urban split in Michigan based on economic and demographic factors? Michael and John Broadway explore this question by comparing data from the UP’s 15 counties between 1989 and 2019 to a sample of metropolitan counties from below the bridge.

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