42nd Annual Appalachian Studies Conference

  AppalachA’ville: 

Engage. Sustain. Innovate.

March 14-17, 2019, University of North Carolina Asheville

Asheville, North Carolina

Deadline for Proposals: October 9, 2018

The 42^nd Annual ASA Conference will explore the theme “AppalachA’ville” by looking at the larger region of Appalachia through the experiences of our cities and financial centers. Special sessions of the conference invite participants to explore the tensions around maintaining sustainable urban development alongside rural culture and history. What does it mean to be a vibrant twenty-first century city in the traditionally rural region of Appalachia? Is there a difference between being an Appalachian city and a city in Appalachia?  How can the region’s population centers grow to provide jobs for residents while preserving and protecting the environment? How does a city retain its regional cultural identity while marketing itself as a place that tourists want to visit and businesses want to set up shop? In short, how do we engage with communities to be more inclusive and supportive and at the same time sustain our cultural roots, our landscape, our values? How does a city or town innovate in ways that enhance the life of the region? Bring your interests, your curiosity, your expertise and experience to the conference and explore AppalachA’ville with us.

ASA returns to Asheville after 27 years, and for the first time ever, the conference will be held on the University of North Carolina Asheville’s (UNCA) campus. The 2019 conference is a collaborative effort between UNCA and Mars Hill University. The city of Asheville is in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with easy access to the Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and breathtaking waterfalls. Aside from the natural beauty of the region, Asheville is noted by publications such as Condé Nast and Lonely Planet for its unique food scene, vibrant music, and microbreweries.

For further information contact:

Carol Boggess, Conference Chair, cboggess@mhu.edu

Kim Reigle, Program Chair, kreigle@mhu.edu

Dan Pierce, Local Arrangements Chair, dpierce@unca.edu

Katherine Ledford, International Connections Chair, ledfordke@appstate.edu

The Appalachian Studies Association was formed in 1977 by a group of scholars, teachers, and regional activists who believed that shared community has been and will continue to be important to those writing, researching, and teaching about Appalachia.