| The Southern Hospitality Myth: Ethics, Politics, Race, and American Memory Subjects: Southern States -- Social life and customs -- 1775–1865; Hospitality -- Southern States -- History; Hospitality -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Southern States -- History; Southern States -- Moral conditions; Racism -- Southern States -- History; Southern; Hospitality as a cultural trait has been associated with the South for well over two centuries, but the origins of this association and the reasons for its perseverance often seem unclear. Anthony Szczesiul looks at how and why we have taken something so particular as the social habit of hospitality--which is exercised among diverse individuals and is widely varied in its particular practices--and so generalized it as to make it a cultural trait of an entire region of the country. ANTHONY SZCZESIUL is an associate professor and chair of English at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. |