Theory, Knowledge and Science Commons^™

A Critical View Of Kai Erikson's Everything In Its Path: The Current State Of Appalachian Studies, Matthew Franklin Moore

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

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 …