Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
West Virginia: A Case for Economic Distributism in Appalachia’s Poorest State
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Since the development of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in 1965, Appalachia has been subjected to top-down, nodal development strategies that have, at best, produced mixed results. This paper presents a critical analysis of modernist-based development within West Virginia, and argues the need for a radical rethinking of economic development theory within the Appalachian context. More specifically, this paper considers the potential of economic distributism as a viable economic development alternative to West Virginia’s pervasive and systematic underdevelopment. It is also suggested that economic distributism may serve as an alternative economic development model for other lagging sub-regions within Appalachia.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
James T. Nesbitt is Professor of Geography at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. His academic and research interests include environment-development issues within Appalachia.
West Virginia: A Case for Economic Distributism in Appalachia’s Poorest State
Since the development of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in 1965, Appalachia has been subjected to top-down, nodal development strategies that have, at best, produced mixed results. This paper presents a critical analysis of modernist-based development within West Virginia, and argues the need for a radical rethinking of economic development theory within the Appalachian context. More specifically, this paper considers the potential of economic distributism as a viable economic development alternative to West Virginia’s pervasive and systematic underdevelopment. It is also suggested that economic distributism may serve as an alternative economic development model for other lagging sub-regions within Appalachia.
