Date of Award
1998
Degree Name
Sociology
College
College of Liberal Arts
Type of Degree
M.A.
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Lynda Ann Ewen
Second Advisor
Richard Garnett
Third Advisor
Kenneth Ambrose
Fourth Advisor
Leonard J. Deutsch
Abstract
This thesis is a critical response to Kai Erikson’s depiction of Appalachian culture in his book, Everything In Its Path. I also survey associated writers such as Jack Weller and others. Erikson’s traditional “Culture of Poverty” model frames the research questions by “blaming the victim”. Everything In Its Path is written in a vacuum, without historical continuity. The questions that Erikson (following Welier) employs in his research methodology are poor cause and effect description in which Erikson blames the Appalachian culture for its societal differences. Erikson glosses over the social dynamics and socio-economic history of the Appalachian region. Furthermore, the culture of poverty model does not account for geopolitical factors. The colonial approach addresses the structural factors; however, world systems analysis expands on the colonial model by placing geopolitical factors within a historical continuum. Erikson, Weller and associated writers paint the picture that the Appalachian culture could not adapt to their versions of modern American culture.
Subject(s)
Weller, Jack E. – Criticism and interpretation.
Appalachian Region – Social conditions.
Recommended Citation
Moore, Matthew Franklin, "A critical view of Kai Erikson's Everything In Its Path: the current state of Appalachian studies" (1998). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 1738.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/1738
