The Anthropology of America Kathryn Jason

Why does the Northeast have a reputation for an uptight, academic attitude, and why is the Midwest considered one of the most relaxed places in the US? What are the origins of so-called "Southern Hospitality," and is this concept even close to the truth? At a diverse school like Emory, students see the effects of cultural differences every day. Their interactions with one another already dispel stereotypes and educate them on diversity, but why does such diversity exist? In a course on American cultures, students can learn why certain regions have certain reputations, certain views, and certain ways of life. Students as adventurous and curious as Emory's are most likely eager to discover how history, geography, and politics all affect each region of the United States.

Students at Emory must wonder why they and their peers are so equally committed to excellence, yet so diverse in their mannerisms. Why do some students talk about history with no accent at all, while others explain chemical engineering with a Deep-Southern twang? I can explain the latter group of students: wealthy plantation owners emigrated from England to the American South. Their upper-class English accent continued through the generations, spread to the middle...