Marshall University Marshall Digital Scholar Theses, Dissertations and Capstones 2018 Weathered Mountains: A Qualitative Study of West Virginia Women and their Perceptions of Strength, Land, and Womanhood Danielle Renee Mullins [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://mds.marshall.edu/etd Part of the Appalachian Studies Commons, Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, and the Regional Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Mullins, Danielle Renee, "Weathered Mountains: A Qualitative Study of West Virginia Women and their Perceptions of Strength, Land, and Womanhood" (2018). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 1171. https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/1171 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Marshall Digital Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations and Capstones by an authorized administrator of Marshall Digital Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. WEATHERED MOUNTAINS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF WEST VIRGINIA WOMEN AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF STRENGTH, LAND, AND WOMANHOOD A thesis submitted to the Graduate College of Marshall University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts In Sociology by Danielle Renee Mullins Approved by: Dr. Kristi Fondren, Committee Chairperson Dr. Maggie Stone Dr. Donna Sullivan Marshall University May 2018 © 2018 Danielle Renee Mullins ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii iii DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this thesis to the sixteen West Virginia women who shared their stories, experiences, relationships, and childhoods with me, and to all the strong Appalachian women who demonstrate their grit each and every day. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am thankful and appreciative of all those who assisted in my research and writing process for this thesis. Particularly, I would like to thank Dr. Kristi Fondren for her guidance, patience, and fighting spirit throughout my time here. Her course, Feminist Social Theory, inspired this work. Dr. Fondren has not only been an excellent advisor and thesis chair, she has also been a dear mentor and a friend. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Maggie Stone and Dr. Donna Sullivan for their participation on my committee, mentorship, and many conversations over these years. I am incredibly proud of and grateful for the three strong, knowledgeable women who served on this committee. I would like to extend a special thank you to (soon-to-be Dr.) Jessica Scott for helping introduce me to some amazing women in my state, for encouraging me to always pursue the challenge, and for her years of mentorship and friendship. I would also like to extend special gratitude to Clara Lehmann for her insight and guidance with developing my instrument, as well as her fierce dedication to her place and people. Also, a special thank you to Dr. Kat Williams for talking through the historiography portions of this paper. I would also like to thank my partner, Zachary, for his patience and support throughout the duration of my degree program and this process. Thank you for defying traditional gender roles, for growing to love our shared culture together, and for listening to me explain Wallerstein twelve too many times. My sister, Kristyn, for showing me the love and support of family. And finally, my best friend, Kady Pack, for being my example and paving the way a few years ago. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Committee Signatures ..................................................................................................................... iii Dedication… .................................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements… .................................................................................................................... v List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. x Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... xi Chapter One: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………..1 Chapter Two: BACKGROUND, LITERATURE REVIEW, AND THEORY……………………7 Defining the Region ................................................................................................ 7 Relevant Demographic Information ........................................................... 7 A History of Appalachian Women ............................................................. 9 Spaces for Deviance .................................................................................. 13 Constructing Appalachia and Its People ............................................................... 15 Characteristics of the Culture: Narratives and Identities .......................... 15 Regional Masculine Hegemonies ............................................................. 18 Traditional Gender Roles .......................................................................... 20 Theoretical Background ........................................................................................ 23 Feminist Theories…………………………………………...…………….23 vi Chapter Three: METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 26 The Sample ........................................................................................................... 27 The Instrument ...................................................................................................... 30 In-Depth Interviews .............................................................................................. 31 Data Analysis Procedures ..................................................................................... 33 Chapter Four: ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................ 35 Defining the Culture ............................................................................................. 35 Does an Appalachian Subculture Exist? ................................................... 36 A Culture of Resilience ............................................................................. 39 Rooted in Tradition, Rooted in the Land .................................................. 40 Connections with the Land ................................................................................... 42 Subsistence Agrarian Lifestyles ................................................................ 42 Perceptions of Land Use ........................................................................... 44 The Decision to Stay ............................................................................................. 47 Gendered Expectations ......................................................................................... 50 Cultural Tradition or Traditional Capitalism? .......................................... 50 Expectations of Marriage .......................................................................... 53 Perceptions of Outsiders ....................................................................................... 55 Navigating External Stereotypes ................................................................ 56 Navigating Internal Outsider Relationships .............................................. 59 Feminism and Appalachia .................................................................................... 60 Chapter Five: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION .................................................................... 64 vii Appalachian Culture ............................................................................................. 64 Connections with the Land ................................................................................... 64 Gender, Strength, and Feminism .......................................................................... 65 Implications of the Study ...................................................................................... 67 Limitations ............................................................................................................ 68 Directions for Future Research ............................................................................. 69 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 70 References………………………………………………………………………………………...71 Appendices………………………………………………………………………………………..75 Appendix A-IRB Letter ........................................................................................ 75 Appendix B-Interview Guide ................................................................................ 76 Appendix C-Vita………………………………………………………………….78 viii LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Interviewee Demographics………………………………………………28 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Subregions of Appalachia ........................................................................... 7 Figure 3.1 West Virginia Counties marked with Interview Locations… ................... 26 Figure 3.2 Generations by Year Defined by Pew Research Center… ....................... 27 Figure 3.3 Geographic Regions of West Virginia ...................................................... 29 x ABSTRACT Appalachia and