About Us
College of Charleston’s Program in Southern Studies sponsors an interdisciplinary undergraduate minor and promotes collaboration among faculty and students dedicated to studying the U. S. South.
The region we call “the South” is famous, yet it is poorly understood by many people who fall back upon stereotypes and generalizations—both positive and negative—to characterize it. In fact, the region is and has always been culturally diverse, and its multiple “traditions” have always been in the process of changing. The South is both unique and similar to other countries and regions with similar histories and physical environments that scholars are now calling the “global south.”
Many C of C faculty teach and do research on some aspect of the southern United States: its environment, its politics, its artistic expressions and cultural traditions, its history, and the diverse array of people who have lived in the region over time. In recent years, many faculty, students, and our neighbors throughout the Lowcountry have felt an increased sense of urgency over the region’s fragile ecosystems, inadequate infrastructures, persistent poverty, and struggles in response to white supremacy and the legacies of slavery.
Using an interdisciplinary approach, C of C faculty and students can deepen our understanding of our region and can contribute to its well-being. Whether you are from the South or have just moved here, whether you wish to complete our minor or take only one or two courses, our curriculum in Southern Studies is here for you. We look forward to helping you explore and analyze the region—in fact, we need you to help us interpret and revitalize it.
College of Charleston Program in Southern Studies
Southern Studies Advisory Board:
Julia Eichelberger (Program Director), Tammy Ingram,
Karen Chandler (Emerita), Mari Crabtree, Adam Domby, Gibbs Knotts, Simon Lewis, Scott Peeples