Welcome to "Rural Worlds Lost: History & Culture of the Appalachian South"!

This course explores the history and culture of Central and Southern Appalachia, tracing the idea of Appalachia as a distinct region from the 18th century through the recent past. The idea that Appalachia is "super-rural" continues to shape the perception of Appalachia's "otherness"; it is seen as a place lost in time, left behind as the industrial, urban society of the United States has progressed.

Topics we will explore in this course include: the history of 18th and 19th century Appalachia; cultural pluralism and racial and ethnic diversity; origins of an Appalachian regional identity; the "discovery" of Appalachia in the late 1800s; the development of the "hillbilly" stereotype; the impact of extractive industrialization, the region's role as an "internal colony," and the ongoing struggle between labor and capital; Appalachia's War on Poverty; the birth of Appalachian identity; and Appalachia's role in America's culture war and environmental crisis.