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Representations of the Rural Appalachian Deviant Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations Sociology & Criminal Justice Summer 2017 The Devil Is in the Details: Representations of the Rural Appalachian Deviant Stephen T. Young Old Dominion University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/sociology_criminaljustice_etds Part of the Criminology Commons, and the Regional Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Young, Stephen T.. "The Devil Is in the Details: Representations of the Rural Appalachian Deviant" (2017). Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Dissertation, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Old Dominion University, DOI: 10.25777/81kk-wj87 https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/sociology_criminaljustice_etds/14 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Sociology & Criminal Justice at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE RURAL APPALACHIAN DEVIANT by Stephen T. Young B.A. December 2010, Marshall University M.S. December 2012, Marshall University A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Old Dominion University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY August 2017 Approved By: Randy Myers (Director) Mona J. E. Danner (Member) Travis Linnemann (Member) ABSTRACT THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE RURAL APPALACHIAN DEVIANT Stephen T. Young Old Dominion University, 2017 Director: Dr. Randy Myers Every year, it seems, a new film makes its way through theaters across America demonstrating a new variant of the rural Appalachian deviant. These films play a major role in continuing to shape societal perceptions of rural white populations in Appalachia. Drawing on theoretical insights of Cohen, Hunt, Simon, and Lupton this dissertation examines how film depictions of the rural white Appalachians supports the continued construction of the rural Appalachian deviant. This study finds that films support said construction by demonstrating this population through themes about tainted blood, intimate partner violence, and drug addiction. Moreover, these films camouflage the facts behind the constructions of this modern “white trash” sub caste and play into the cultural distancing of proper white populations. Finally, this study provides insights into the socio-historical reasons for this continued construction of this deviant as a means to exploit, abandon, and criminalize this sub caste population. iii Copyright©, 2017, by Stephen T. Young, All Rights Reserved iv I dedicate this dissertation to my mother and father, Fran and James Young. I could not have done this without your support and I love you very much. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people have contributed to the successful completion of this project. I extend my gratitude to all of my committee members for their support and patience as they guided me through this research. Specifically, I thank Dr. Randy Myers for the numerous hours he spent editing this manuscript along with the motivation he provided on days were I struggled to collect my thoughts. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate all of your guidance over the past few years. I thank Dr. Travis Linnemann for listening to my rants and supporting my ideas very early on in this process before I was even focusing on the dissertation. I appreciate your determination to force me outside of my normal ‘comfort’ zone. I must also make a particular note to thank Dr. Mona “Mama” Danner for all of her support over the last four years. I owe much of my success to your guidance and cannot thank you enough for all that you have done. Finally, I thank Dr. Sam Dameron. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today without your mentorship. I owe you more than I can put into words. Thank you, once again, to everyone. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORY ...................................................................1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1 PAINTING APPALACHIA ....................................................................................4 UNDERSTANDING POVERTY IN APPALACHIA ............................................8 POVERTY AND THE PERPETUATION OF A LABEL ....................................12 THE POWER OF FILMS ......................................................................................18 THE EFFECTS OF FILMS ...................................................................................22 DISTORTED IMAGES AND THE PUBLIC .......................................................24 THE PANIC AND NEED TO REGULATE .........................................................26 MORAL PANIC AND MORAL REGULATION AS STEPPING STONES ......30 CONTRIBUTION AND CHAPTER OUTLINES ................................................36 II. METHODS ..................................................................................................................41 METHODS LITERATURE...................................................................................41 METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE ......................................................................46 ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................48 III. THOSE OF TAINTED BLOOD .................................................................................50 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................50 BLOOD IS THICKER THAN REASON ..............................................................52 CONTROLLING THE CONTAGION..................................................................62 UNNATURAL FEMININITY IN THE MOUNTAINS .......................................70 HOUSING THE CONTAGION: FROM LABOR CAMPS TO PRISONS ..........75 IV. A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE IN THE MOUNTAINS ........................................79 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................79 INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE: FROM FACTORY TO THE CREEK ......81 THE FRUIT IS RIPE AND THE PICKERS ARE HERE .....................................89 RURAL IPV AND THE COST OF PUNITIVENESS..........................................93 TURN OFF THE FILM AND TURN ON REAL LIFE ........................................97 V. NOTHING BUT DRUGS IN THESE HILLS ...........................................................105 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................105 PSA: LET’S TALK ABOUT DRUGS ................................................................107 THE DEADLY SCOURGE OF OUR STATE: FROM THE MONSTER OF OUR DREAMS TO REAL LIFE MONSTERS ...........................................113 vii Chapter Page ALREADY DEAD BUT ALIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT ....................................121 THIS IS WHAT GOT ME HERE .......................................................................124 FIGHTING BACK IN APPALACHIA ...............................................................128 VI. CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................................133 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................133 THE PICTURE IS PAINTED .............................................................................134 VEINS OF BLOOD AND MINERALS ..............................................................139 JACK AND JILL’S LOVE IN THE HILLS........................................................142 FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE .......................................................................144 WHAT IS THE NEXT SCENE? .........................................................................146 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................148 APPENDICES A. FILM LIST.................................................................................................................174 B. DOCUMENTARY LIST ...........................................................................................175 VITA ............................................................................................................................................176 1 CHAPTER I LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORY Introduction One hot Saturday afternoon I walked into a local coffee shop. Upon entering the door, it was noticeable how empty the space was other than the busy baristas working behind the counter and a single female patron sitting near the front door. Unwarranted, she appeared to become uneasy with my presence and immediately shifted in her seat once the door closed. She appeared to me as a young woman, with well-kept hair, nicely manicured nails and clothing seemingly ripped from the front pages of a New York magazine. She embodied a perfect representation of the high status of being white, sitting in her chair sipping her seven-dollar cup of coffee. I, of course, a six foot three large bearded man with grease under my nails from working on my loud automobile stood out as something out of place to her in this space of proper white status. I felt as if she saw me as a representation
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