Governing Through Trash: How the Hierarchy of Whiteness Defines Gendered Violence in Appalachia

• In Event: Gendered Violence in the Media

Abstract

Research continues to demonstrate the role films play in reproducing and solidifying stereotypes of the Appalachian region. Acting as a cultural medium, filmic representations mirror dominant attitudes present in society while also reproducing and molding new perceptions of specific stereotypes. Utilizing critical discourse analysis, we analyze 20 films either set within and/or specifically centered on female Appalachian characters. The films demonstrate multiple thematic examples of abuse/violence geared towards women in the region, including stereotypes of intimate partner violence and the hyper-sexualization of women in rural Appalachia. This presentation seeks to 1). Contextualize these stereotypes based on the construction of the hierarchy of whiteness through representations of Appalachia and 2). Discuss how filmic representations reinforce carceral ideologies that support punitive approaches to existing social problems in Appalachia.

Authors

• Stephen Toppings Young, Marshall University

• Ryan Phillips, Marshall University