Monuments of Folly: The Persistence of he Lost Cause at the University of South Carolina

Author

Sean Dedmon, University of South Carolina - ColumbiaFollow

Date of Award

Spring 2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

History

Director of Thesis

Dr. Joshua Meyer-Gutbrod

First Reader

Dr. Derek O'Leary

Second Reader

Dr. Payal Shah

Abstract

The recent controversies surrounding the Confederate flag and Confederate monuments has sparked increased interest understanding why many people, particularly in the South, celebrate the Confederate States of America. This thesis seeks to better understand the motivations and emotions behind the persistence of the Lost Cause among students at the University of South Carolina. This study utilizes both deep textual readings and sentiment analysis to analyze student-published newspaper articles printed in The Gamecock from 1960-2006 and survey responses from current University of South Carolina students to capture the scope and history of belief in the Lost Cause at the University of South Carolina. The Lost Cause has gradually lost support from the university’s student body over time, but some facets of the ideology remain.

First Page

1

Last Page

82

Recommended Citation

Dedmon, Sean, "Monuments of Folly: The Persistence of he Lost Cause at the University of South Carolina" (2022). Senior Theses. 551.
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/senior_theses/551

Rights

© 2022, Sean Dedmon