David Whisnant's study focuses on public and private social and economic development efforts in Appalachia from the close of the nineteenth century through the early 1970s. He explores their diverse origins, their many ways of assessing and relating to the problems and people of the region, and above all the cultural politics that shaped them. Modernizing the Mountaineer blends careful analysis with an ardent commitment to making the needs of the region's people the preeminent consideration in the design of social policy.