Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
Session 5.12 Social Sciences
Presentation #1 Title
A Dialectical Study of Connection and Separation in Appalachian Families in the Wake of Outmigration
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This study explores how members of Appalachian families maintain themselves as “family” when some members live in the Appalachian region while others do not. The Appalachian region has been the site of one of the largest outmigrations of people in the history of the United States. Traditionally, Appalachian culture has defined “family” in terms of one’s participation in a large network of kinship relationships, including several generations of biological relatives and in-laws, and their descendants, who live in close geographic proximity, even on the same land. Outmigration creates a situation in which some family members are geographically separated from others in the network of kinship relationships. This situation potentially creates a peculiar sort of crisis for Appalachian people, for they and others in their kinship network must find a way to be “family” across large distances. Using relational dialectics theory as a framework, this study explores Appalachian family members’ accounts of separation and connection, gathered through one-to-one intensive interviews, as they maintain their relationships as “family” across the miles.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Dr. Jason Combs is a full-time lecturer in the Department of Communication at the University of Dayton, Ohio. His academic interests include creating dialogue, community, and unified action among members of organizations and other social groups, including Appalachian families.
A Dialectical Study of Connection and Separation in Appalachian Families in the Wake of Outmigration
Corbly Hall 464
This study explores how members of Appalachian families maintain themselves as “family” when some members live in the Appalachian region while others do not. The Appalachian region has been the site of one of the largest outmigrations of people in the history of the United States. Traditionally, Appalachian culture has defined “family” in terms of one’s participation in a large network of kinship relationships, including several generations of biological relatives and in-laws, and their descendants, who live in close geographic proximity, even on the same land. Outmigration creates a situation in which some family members are geographically separated from others in the network of kinship relationships. This situation potentially creates a peculiar sort of crisis for Appalachian people, for they and others in their kinship network must find a way to be “family” across large distances. Using relational dialectics theory as a framework, this study explores Appalachian family members’ accounts of separation and connection, gathered through one-to-one intensive interviews, as they maintain their relationships as “family” across the miles.
