Title: The Politics of Industrial Decline: Social Programs and Political Behavior in Appalachia
By Elizabeth Thom, College Fellow and Assistant Professor of Political Science and Environmental Policy and Culture and IPR Fellow
Abstract: Places in the U.S. with ties to manufacturing and extractive industries have experienced steep economic decline and major social disruptions. To weather these negative shocks, people have turned to the social safety net for help. How does widespread reliance on federal social policies affect individuals and communities in postindustrial areas? And what are the political consequences? This project advances a theory that reexamines the channels through which social programs generate feedback effects. The theory suggests that social programs, even when they are targeted at the individual level, can generate community-wide feedback effects, informing the political behaviors of both beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries. The study focuses on the high concentration of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries in Appalachia. Using mixed methods, the study shows that community-level feedback effects emerge as an important explanation for low levels of political participation in postindustrial areas. The findings contribute new insights into the relationship between social policy and politics and underscore the importance of local-level factors in driving political behavior.
This event is part of the Fay Lomax Cook Fall 2026 Colloquium Series, where our researchers from around the University share their latest policy-relevant research.
Please note all colloquia this quarter will be held in-person only.
Madeleine Bagnall
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