Southern Appalachia: Analytical models, social services, and native support systems

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Abstract
The model of ethnicity has been applied in this paper to Appalachian natives. The problems suffered by Appalachians in terms of high dropout rates, institutional discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping are familiar to other ethnic minority groups. Yet because the majority of the population in Appalachia are racially indistinct from mainstream Americans, there is resistance to the notion of ethnic difference. This has significant repercussions. Ironically, service providers and others in the region often recognize the distinctive nature of native Appalachians while, at the same time, reaffirming that they are white Americans like anywhere else. This is often said with good intentions. The result, however, justifies a lack of action taken to improve services for native Appalachians. If they are perceived as no different, inequalities go unrecognized and unredressed. If, on the other hand, differences are perceived only on the basis of socioeconomic class and/or rural residence, social services may miss the cultural dimension that may be all-important in identifying problems and potential means of improvement. It is hoped that application of the notion of ethnicity to mountain people will be helpful in the structuring of human services in the region.