News and Spotlights from the Center for Appalachian Studies

NPR—GALAX, Va. — Ellie Massey, 13, stands inside a giant, yellow tent with dozens of other contestants and practices singing the gospel tune, “I’ll Fly Away.” Her grandfather, Jim Coleman, and uncle, Jacob, accompany her on guitar and mandolin.

By Yndiana Montes-Fogelquist, edited by Lauren Gibbs BOONE, N.C. — The 47th Annual Appalachian Studies Association (ASA) Conference will be held on the campus of Western Carolina University, in Cullowhee, for the first time from March 7 through 9, 2024. …

BOONE, N.C. — On September 26, 2023, Appalachian State University welcomed Chilean-born visual storyteller and community activist Rodrigo Dorfman for a public lecture titled “The Making of the Nuevo South.” The event, held at the Turchin Center for the Visual …

BOONE, N.C. — Faculty, staff, and students from Appalachian State University’s Center for Appalachian Studies participated in the 46th Annual Appalachian Studies Association (ASA) Conference, held March 16–19, 2023 at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. This was the first time …

The Center for Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University hosted its inaugural Global Roots of Appalachian Mountain Dance Symposium March 31–April 2, 2022. The free, three-day event brought campus and community together to celebrate the diverse global traditions that shape …

In Spring 2021, the Center for Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University hosted the Cornbread & Tortillas Virtual Residency, a weeklong celebration of art, music, dance, and storytelling that brought Appalachian and Latino traditions together in dialogue and performance. Cornbread …

Edited by Jessica Stump BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University is bringing a cultural blend of Appalachian and Latino music, dance and theater to campus and the local community through a three-day, virtual Cornbread and Tortillas residency, April 20–22.

In March 2019, Appalachian State University’s Center for Appalachian Studies hosted the International Mountain Studies Symposium, bringing together scholars, students, and community members for two days of exploration and exchange on the past, present, and future of mountain regions worldwide. …

At the International Mountain Studies Symposium on March 12, 2019, Appalachian State University welcomed Dr. Alton C. Byers, Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), to share new insights on the impacts of climate change …

In spring 2018, Appalachian State University hosted a semester-long exploration of Black Mountain College (BMC), the experimental school that operated from 1933 to 1957 in North Carolina’s Swannanoa Valley. Known for its pioneering role in progressive, interdisciplinary education, BMC’s influence …