Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Greater West Virginia
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
With the collapse of the coal industry, West Virginia has suffered job and population losses. The recent uptick in the number of people who are leaving the state to look for employment elsewhere is part of a three-decade trend. It’s clear the state needs a new strategy for growth; coal may rebound but it will never be the single economic driver for the state that it once was. Most residents, politicians, and activists see the state’s declining population as a detrimental: it has been referred to as a “brain drain” or “crisis.”
But imagine, if you will, West Virginia’s population loss not as a problem, but as a resource.
This presentation examines Extreme Appalachia as a state of mind; it is a call to action to reach out to West Virginia’s expat population to create a wide-ranging social network to engage in the next phase of activism in the state. As outsiders, expats have a unique relationship to their home state. Many were educated in state universities and have a deep connection to their heritage and extended families, and they are more likely to understand the exceptional opportunities for economic development. Expats include entrepreneurs, educators, and investors who could leverage their life experience beyond West Virginia to invest in a distinct and sustainable future for the state. This presentation will propose a Greater West Virginia Network and consider the short and long-term benefits and limitations of recruiting expat support in developing West Virginia’s future.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Debra Lattanzi Shutika is an associate professor of Folklore and English at George Mason University.
Greater West Virginia
With the collapse of the coal industry, West Virginia has suffered job and population losses. The recent uptick in the number of people who are leaving the state to look for employment elsewhere is part of a three-decade trend. It’s clear the state needs a new strategy for growth; coal may rebound but it will never be the single economic driver for the state that it once was. Most residents, politicians, and activists see the state’s declining population as a detrimental: it has been referred to as a “brain drain” or “crisis.”
But imagine, if you will, West Virginia’s population loss not as a problem, but as a resource.
This presentation examines Extreme Appalachia as a state of mind; it is a call to action to reach out to West Virginia’s expat population to create a wide-ranging social network to engage in the next phase of activism in the state. As outsiders, expats have a unique relationship to their home state. Many were educated in state universities and have a deep connection to their heritage and extended families, and they are more likely to understand the exceptional opportunities for economic development. Expats include entrepreneurs, educators, and investors who could leverage their life experience beyond West Virginia to invest in a distinct and sustainable future for the state. This presentation will propose a Greater West Virginia Network and consider the short and long-term benefits and limitations of recruiting expat support in developing West Virginia’s future.
