Reading ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ in town that inspired it

+ the complex chemistry of cheesemaking US Edition - Today's top story: Revisiting Middletown, Ohio – the Midwestern town at the heart of JD Vance's 'Hillbilly Elegy' [View in browser]( US Edition | 24 July 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Israel’s democratic backsliding]( - [How a brush with death changed George Wallace]( - [‘Genetic conflict theory’ opens new vistas on psychology research]( Lead story Matthew Smith, a Scottish historian, says he “stumbled into the study of Appalachia.” Before moving to the U.S., he “could not have guessed the difference between a banjo and a mandolin, and would struggle to name a single bluegrass song.” Today, he teaches at Miami University’s campuses in southwestern Ohio – which is not, strictly speaking, Appalachia. But the south of the state was deeply shaped by migration out of the mountains, as mining industrialized in the 20th century and workers looked for opportunity elsewhere. Among the many Kentuckians who came to Ohio were the grandparents of Sen. JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate. Vance’s memoir about his rocky upbringing – the 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” – put Middletown, Ohio, on the national map. His hometown became a many-sided symbol: of America’s Rust Belt, of Appalachia, of struggling cities in the Midwest, of the opioid crisis – the list goes on. Smith, who read “Hillbilly Elegy” with one of his classes in Middletown, writes about the area’s rich heritage, which risks getting abstracted away in national debates. And he shares his students’ reactions to the book, reflecting the complexity of the region itself. [ [Science from the scientists themselves. Sign up for our weekly science email newsletter.]( ] Molly Jackson Religion and Ethics Editor A mural in downtown Middletown, Ohio, home to around 51,000 residents – and JD Vance’s hometown. Scott Olson/Getty Images [Revisiting Middletown, Ohio – the Midwestern town at the heart of JD Vance’s ‘Hillbilly Elegy’]( Matthew Smith, Miami University Vance’s hometown has been analyzed as a sweeping symbol – sometimes overlooking the area’s distinct history and experiences. Science + Technology - [Cheesemaking is a complex science – a food chemist explains the process from milk to mozzarella]( John A. Lucey, University of Wisconsin-Madison Cheesemaking is an ancient practice, and modern methods and chemistry have made it a science. - [What do genes have to do with psychology? They likely influence your behavior more than you realize]( Jessica D. Ayers, Boise State University Human psychology is influenced by a complex network of genes and environmental factors. Studying how and when genes fail to cooperate could broaden our understanding of behavior. 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