The Center for Appalachian Studies was established in 1978 to coordinate and promote academic programs, public programs and research activities on the Appalachian Mountain region. Built on the work of generations of Appalachian scholars, including folklorist Amos Abrams and Cratis Williams, considered the father of Appalachian studies, and Dr. Patricia Beaver, former director of the Center for Appalachian Studies, the Center works to illuminate and sustain the region's rich history, cultures, communities, and ecology.
Appalachian Studies Program
Appalachian State University offers a Master's degree in Appalachian studies with concentrations in (1) sustainability in Appalachia or (2) culture and music. We also offer an on-campus Graduate Certificate, an online Graduate Certificate, a Graduate Minor in Appalachian studies, and undergraduate minors in Appalachian studies and Appalachian music. Learn more at the Appalachian Studies academic program.
Appalachian Journal
Appalachian Journal, founded in 1972, is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed quarterly featuring field research, interviews, and other scholarly studies of history, politics, economics, culture, folklore, literature, music, ecology, and a variety of other topics, as well as poetry and reviews of books, films, and recordings dealing with the region of the Appalachian mountains.
W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection
A repository with more than 44,000 volumes of books, over 200 periodical subscriptions, 8,000 sound recordings, and 1,500 videos and DVDs related to the Southern uplands, with strengths in the social sciences, regional history, folklore, music, religion, genealogy, fiction, and African and Native Appalachia. (Image: “Black Jack Davy” transcribed by I. G. Greer. AC.113: I.G. Greer Papers and Recordings)
Center Highlights
Jesse Barber '24 documents Hurricane Helene
Jan 10, 2025
BOONE, N.C. — Jesse Barber '24, an alumnus of the Appalachian studies program, has been a key documentarian in media efforts to cover the stories We...
Call for Papers: Appalachian Journal's Special Issue on Appalachian Foodways
Jan 4, 2025
BOONE, N.C. — From pepperoni rolls to apple stack cakes, and from ramp patches to the importance of sochan, the region’s many biomes and communiti...
Appalachian Journal (vol. 52, no. 1-2) now available
Nov 20, 2024
BOONE, N.C. — The new Appalachian Journal (vol. 51, no. 1-2) features a tribute to Marie Cirillo, an exploration of underrated bestselling...
In the News: North Carolina Photographer Points His Lens Toward Hope Amidst The Devastation Of His Home State [alumni featured]
Oct 28, 2024
Jesse Barber focuses his camera with the quiet pensiveness of a mountain man—someone who appreciates the solace of a porch rocker, the depth of a Bl...
Call for Papers: Appalachian Journal's Special Issue on Appalachian Visual Art
Aug 15, 2024
BOONE, N.C. — Appalachia is home to many talented and brilliant visual artists whose work often depicts and engages with the region but is not limit...
Appalachian Journal (vol. 51, no. 3-4) now available
Jul 25, 2024
BOONE, N.C. — The new Appalachian Journal (vol. 51, no. 3-4) celebrates the life and career of Gurney Norman, Appalachian writer, documentarian, Eng...