This approach is especially valuable when it comes to explaining why women in these mountain communities are much more likely than men are to join the environmental justice movement.'- The Journal of Southern History 'Bell's volume is unique in that it allows each activist to tell her own story in her own words. Our Roots Run Deep sees civic engagement as critical and shows that campuses and academics have much to learn from those who sometimes are merely studies or assisted.'- Environmental History

'By making grassroots women central, Bell has created a powerful model for scholarly writing that can engage undergraduates, faculty, and general readers. a complex, detailed rendering of the human costs of US dependence on cheap energy. Reviews'These stories reveal not only the profoundly devastating environmental, health, and social impacts experienced by Appalachians living in the 'sacrifice zone,' but also the identity transformation experienced by women who find a sense of purpose and agency in their activism. Thirty percent of the royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to organizations fighting for environmental justice in Central Appalachia. As protectors, these 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. 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. Bell's analysis outlines the interconnectedness of Appalachian women's activism and their roles as wives and mothers. Bell supplements each narrative with careful notes that aid the reader while amplifying the power and flow of the activists' stories. But they also tell of new communities and personal transformations catalyzed through activism. The interviews-a number of them illustrated by the women's 'photostories'-describe obstacles, lawsuits, and tragedies. 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.Įach woman narrates her own personal story of injustice and tells how that experience led her to activism. About the BookMotivated by a deeply rooted sense of place and community, Appalachian women have long fought against the damaging effects of industrialization.

Ironweed book