ABSTRACT
Entrenched poverty in rural Appalachia is often understood in public policy and media narratives as a cultural problem. This “culture of poverty” view suggests economic insecurity is principally the result of an inability or unwillingness to overcome bad habits or deficient values. The view of poverty as a product of rural culture often results in news coverage that blames residents for their income insecurity and fails to recognize structural inequalities that reproduce poverty in communities. It is also a cornerstone of popular representations of rural residents as “rednecks” or “hillbillies.” Through an examination of news coverage of the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the release of the book Hillbilly Elegy, this chapter illustrates the ways the “culture of poverty” perspective permeates journalistic discourse. The chapter also recognizes efforts that challenge that cycle by providing voice to residents in an effort to challenge existing attitudes about poverty and those experiencing it.
