Appalachia Through the Eyes of Welsh Reconstruction

Eastern Kentucky, and the whole Appalachian Region, face daunting socio-cultural-economic problems given the realities facing the coal industry. As our region continues its attempts to give rebirth to a staggering economy, we must look to other regions for inspiration. During the 1980’s the coal industry in Wales came to a staggering halt with the defeat of the Miner’s Union during the 1984-1985 strike. Since then various public, private, and social organizations have attempted to address the dramatic shift in society, caused by the negative ripple effect generated by the loss of the coal industry. This paper will attempt to outline the differences and similarities regarding the causes and outcomes of the collapse of the coal industry in both Wales and Appalachia. Additionally, this paper will examine the similarities and differences in socio-cultural attitudes between Appalachia and Wales, with a specific focus on Eastern Kentucky and South Wales. By drawing inspiration from other regions of the world who have similar experience to Appalachia, we can seek to speed up the recovery of our region. The globalization of the world demands multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural methods to combat real world problems. This paper will attempt to help further the understanding of the problems facing our region