Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Appalachia: Real Place or Imagined Construct?
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Some scholars have long argued over whether Appalachia was a real "place" or merely an imagined construct. The Construct de-constructionists appear to believe either that Appalachia came into being in the minds of outsiders, which is not pertinent to reality, or that they wish to eschew the concept of Appalachian exceptionalism. In the case of the latter, there seems to be confusion between 'exceptionalism' - negatively associated with chauvinistic American Exceptionalism - and a uniqueness that does not imply either superiority or perfection. Is this an over reaction, a case of the pendulum swinging too far? In the case of the former the argument appears to be that if Appalachia is not utterly different from every other place, then there is no such thing as Appalachia - geographically, culturally, or otherwise. This paper will re-consider the arguments from an historical, philosophical, and theoretical perspective in an attempt to bring a more grounded and commonsensical approach to the issues. Culture and place are central to our identity.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Dr Barry Whittemore is a Lecturer at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega where he teaches Appalachian, American, and Religious History. He has earned a BA from Virginia Tech, an MS from Radford, an MA and DA from Carnegie Mellon, and an MDiv from Duke.
Appalachia: Real Place or Imagined Construct?
Some scholars have long argued over whether Appalachia was a real "place" or merely an imagined construct. The Construct de-constructionists appear to believe either that Appalachia came into being in the minds of outsiders, which is not pertinent to reality, or that they wish to eschew the concept of Appalachian exceptionalism. In the case of the latter, there seems to be confusion between 'exceptionalism' - negatively associated with chauvinistic American Exceptionalism - and a uniqueness that does not imply either superiority or perfection. Is this an over reaction, a case of the pendulum swinging too far? In the case of the former the argument appears to be that if Appalachia is not utterly different from every other place, then there is no such thing as Appalachia - geographically, culturally, or otherwise. This paper will re-consider the arguments from an historical, philosophical, and theoretical perspective in an attempt to bring a more grounded and commonsensical approach to the issues. Culture and place are central to our identity.
