Hey guys, I've read the rules and I think I'm allowed to post this here....I'm sorry if I'm not, and I apologize in advance for what will undoubtedly be poor formatting. (I'm on my cell phone)
I'm a university history student currently working on my senior capstone project, and I was hoping to get a few outside opinions before I really went all-in with my theory. Before it gets mentioned, I've spoken with my professor, but....to be frank, she isn't much help.
Here it goes,
If anyone isn't familiar (as I was not until recently), Fredrick Jackson Turner's thesis pertains to how the "frontier" played a large role in shaping the national identity of America. That where "civilization meets savagery" is the root of many quintessential American characteristics, and that the West acted as a safety-valve for the discontent/disenfranchised. (I just really started digging into Turner in the last few days so I don't have all the nuances of the thesis down.)
For the sake of brevity, I won't try and explain all of my theories that I (think) I can use, but the basic gist of my working thesis is this: The iconic status of Route 66 is a result of the "frontier effect," and affirms many aspects of Turner's thesis.
My method of approach is to examine 4 separate groups that have used the road as their "escape" to new opportunities. The Okies from the dust bowl, WW2 vets in the post-war years, African-Americans in the Second Great Migration....and then the current "heritage tourists" that use the road to hypothetically escape modern times, back to the perceived "good ol' days" from their childhoods.
In a nutshell, that's what I'm working with. What do you think? Any advice?
Sorry about the wall of text, and thank you for reading! And thank you in advance for your input!
Just a quick note. I think it's an interesting approach, but you should definitely try and look into more modern theoretical frameworks on the concept of the Frontier in American history. The Frontier thesis did have a very dominant place in American historiography, but only up to circa 1945. My recommendation would be to read the work of Richard Slotkin, in particular In Gunfighter nation: the myth of the frontier in twentieth-century America to get an idea of different and rivalling interpretations and other theoretical frameworks.
Interesting approach. Keep in mind, however, that the Turner wars were all but dead by the early 1990s. That doesn't mean that the controversy can't be resurrected, but keep in mind, you're asking the walking dead for insight. I like the approach, but you'd have to employ Turner with a little tongue and cheek. With the right framing, it could work.