Shooters' Noose: Gun Ownership and the Death Penalty in the South

• In Event: Looking Down the Barrel: Analyses of Gun Issues in America

Abstract

The southern region of the United States has long been argued to be more violent than any other region within the United States. The article reassesses the idea of violence and examines the “ Southern culture of honor” thesis. The bulk of research emphases two uniquely southern values, gun ownership and support of the death penalty, and investigates how these might reflect values of honor in the South. Furthermore, the current study applies a model emphasizing the relationship that race, gender, political and religious ideologies have on support for the subculture and its values. Data analysis of the General Social Survey will be used to examine the evidence for the further advancement and development of the culture of honor perspective.

Authors

• Michael Kelly Logan, Radford University

• Nicole Hendrix, Radford University