Read SHELLY ANNETTE BIESEL's ECONOMIC ANTHROPOLOGY article

A retired miner and city councilman in Lynch, Kentucky imagines a future beyond coal. Photo by Shelly A. Biesel.

The War on Coal is more than just a catchphrase... 

How we talk about environmental issues matters. Shelly A. Biesel's recent publication "When Disinformation Makes Sense: Contextualizing the the War on Coal in Appalachian Kentucky" examines the complicated ways in which the "war on coal" catchphrase, popularized by politicians and pro-coal lobby groups, influences both environmental policies and public perceptions of environmental issues in Appalachian Kentucky. And yet, it is not quite so simple. The "war on coal" narrative is complicated by peoples' historic, often-difficult relationships with the industry, as well as the embodied physical dangers of mine work. You can read Shelly's full manuscript in the January 2021 issue of Economic Anthropology, available here for early view: 

Access Full Article in Economic Anthropology