Motivated by a deeply rooted sense of place and community,
Appalachian women have long fought against the damaging effects of
industrialization. In this collection of interviews, sociologist
Shannon Elizabeth Bell presents the voices of twelve Central
Appalachian women, environmental justice activists fighting against
mountaintop removal mining and its devastating effects on public
health, regional ecology, and community well-being.
Each woman narrates her own personal story of injustice and
tells how that experience led her to activism. The interviews--many
of them illustrated by the women's "photostories"--describe
obstacles, losses, and tragedies. But they also tell of new
communities and personal transformations catalyzed through
activism. Bell supplements each narrative with careful notes that
aid the reader while amplifying the power and flow of the
activists' stories. Bell's analysis outlines the relationship
between Appalachian women's activism and the gendered
responsibilities they feel within their families and communities.
Ultimately, Bell argues that these women draw upon a broader
"protector identity" that both encompasses and extends the identity
of motherhood that has often been associated with grassroots
women's activism. As protectors, the women challenge dominant
Appalachian gender expectations and guard not only their families
but also their homeplaces, their communities, their heritage, and
the endangered mountains that surround them.
30% of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated
to organizations fighting for environmental justice in Central
Appalachia.
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