This report examines the construction of whiteness in Appalachia through a close
study of two New Year’s Eve celebrations in a small community in Brasstown, North
Carolina. By examining these two celebrations, I draw out questions of race and
racialization that have been largely overlooked in the study of Appalachia and illustrate
the connections between the construction of a whitewashed Appalachian identity and the
construction of an equally pale national identity. This report challenges the idea that
Appalachia as a region is “racially innocent” and therefore does not play a role in
discussions of race in America. On the contrary, I show that Appalachia’s position as a
site of production of a national culture and identity means that in the context of
Appalachia, race and racialization demand scrutiny as a means for understanding what
“whiteness” is. / text
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UTEXAS/oai:repositories.lib.utexas.edu:2152/ETD-UT-2010-08-1844 |
| Date | 04 January 2011 |
| Creators | Baker, Hannah Rose Pilkington |
| Source Sets | University of Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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