Appalachian Studies at EKU

The Center for Appalachian Studies at Eastern Kentucky University was created in 2000 to coordinate and promote a multi-disciplinary approach toward teaching, research and service on issues pertaining to Appalachia. The Center brings together a diverse group of teachers/scholars primarily from the social sciences and humanities, but also from art, biology, environmental studies, social work and health sciences. Utilizing their wide-ranging talent, the Center endeavors to link the human and technical resources of EKU with the teaching, service and research needs of the students and communities we serve.

The Center for Appalachian Studies has the following responsibilities:

  a center for coordinating curricular offerings in regional studies.

  a center that explores images of the region and its inhabitants, nurturing an awareness of the rich diversity of life in the area: its history, culture and its people.

  a center that uses reason and good science to better understand the natural and environmental conditions of the region, and how the physical context affects political, economic and social relationships.

  a center that facilitates research and interdisciplinary discussion.

  a center that generates discourse between the university and community groups on issues relevant to the lives of citizens in the Appalachian region in general and our service area in particular.