Old South, agrarian Midwest and frontier West: Discourses of repression and consumption in 'Southern Living', 'Midwest Living', and 'Sunset' magazines

This research examines the means and the implications of U.S. regional identity construction via representational practices in Southern Living, Midwest Living and Sunset magazines. Drawing from the fields of communication and cultural geography, the study analyzes the West, South and Midwest as physical places and cultural texts. Representations distinguish these regions, perpetuating their unique identities in relation to each other. The three mass-circulation magazines, targeted to specific geographic areas, are rich repositories of regional representation and lifestyle enhancement. Quantitative analysis of 1,089 articles in a composite year of publication--four issues of each of the three magazines published in 1992--determines frequencies of representations of nature, culture, and defined relationships with other places. Close textual analyses of select articles and issues determine the context and combination of those representations. Results of the combined analyses indicate patterns of representation unique to each magazine which reinforce mythic ideals of Old South, Frontier West and Agrarian Midwest. These ideals are shared nationally as regional heritage.The study shows that consumption and repression are the dual components of regional ideals constructed in these discursive sites of popular culture. Heritage is the dominant narrative of Eurocentric national development, and repressions along the lines of class, gender and, especially, race underlay these regional ideals. In particular, the dearth of non-Whites in the magazines, and the contexts in which they appear when included, define a racial status quo and an ideal White readership. Because Southern Living, Midwest Living and Sunset are vehicles of national advertising, the context of representations and the ideal readership render the South, Midwest and West various places of consumption. The political implications of representation are obscured by commodification and left virtually unchallenged. Subordination offered as exchange further obscures group repressions.The research includes a discussion of how regional distinctions also perpetuate inter-regional and regional-national tensions. The definition of regional identity may differ between insiders and outsiders. It is argued that American national identity is partially retained in these contested and hegemonic regional identities in order to fulfill various emotional needs and political agendas.