Participation Type
Poster
Session Title
Poster
Presentation #1 Title
Beyond Coal in Appalachia and Wales
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This is a comparative future outlook of the coalfield region of Appalachia based on the past experiences of post-coal communities of Wales. This study compares the governments of these two locations and examines the relationship of government with the communities’ planning processes. This research discusses issues that are prevalent in both regions such as othering, environmental injustice, and educational underachievement. The point of this study is to use Wales as an example of what Appalachia should look out for and consider when transferring from being a leading coal producer to having a diverse economy. The main question to ask is ‘what economic stimulus could be created that would be sustainable for Appalachia when transitioning out of the coal industry?’. This study analyzes previous literature and synthesizes a catalog of successes and failures of the Welsh post-coal transition. It examines the situation from not only an economic lens, but also a human rights perspective. Culture, politics, infrastructure, and geography are all taken into consideration comparing Wales and Appalachia.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Currently, I am a junior at the University of Kentucky, but I grew up in Tomahawk, KY. I am an Accounting major with a minor in Communication, and I am the business director for AppalArts Magazine.
Beyond Coal in Appalachia and Wales
This is a comparative future outlook of the coalfield region of Appalachia based on the past experiences of post-coal communities of Wales. This study compares the governments of these two locations and examines the relationship of government with the communities’ planning processes. This research discusses issues that are prevalent in both regions such as othering, environmental injustice, and educational underachievement. The point of this study is to use Wales as an example of what Appalachia should look out for and consider when transferring from being a leading coal producer to having a diverse economy. The main question to ask is ‘what economic stimulus could be created that would be sustainable for Appalachia when transitioning out of the coal industry?’. This study analyzes previous literature and synthesizes a catalog of successes and failures of the Welsh post-coal transition. It examines the situation from not only an economic lens, but also a human rights perspective. Culture, politics, infrastructure, and geography are all taken into consideration comparing Wales and Appalachia.
