Abstract

For hundreds of years the people of the Appalachian Mountains have come under scrutiny for their “backwards” and “outdated” customs. Often seen as inferior by the wider world, much nuance of Appalachian culture is overlooked and reduced to harmful stereotypes. Terms such as “hillbilly” or “redneck” serve to single out and label the people of Appalachia as “other.” Recent scholarship has taken to try and work around such stereotypes yet often fails to observe Appalachia through the eyes of its people, not generalized statistics. The practice of conducting and collecting Oral History serves to situate a select group of people’s voices into the broader historical network; in this study, eleven members of the same Appalachian family sat down to answer a series of questions pertaining to three vital categories: Kinship Ties, Economic Status, and Gender Roles. Each participant was asked these questions to address the overall research questions, “How has the customs surrounding the family unit in Appalachia evolved from the mid 20th into the 21st century?” As a result, this study shows that yes, Appalachian family dynamics and customs have largely remained similar to that of the past, but it also shows the subtle change and influence that outside forces have had on the region throughout the years.

Semester/Year of Award

Spring 2025

Mentor

Karina Powell

Mentor Department Affiliation

Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work

Access Options

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelors

Department

History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies

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