Honors Program Theses
Award/Availability
Open Access Honors Program Thesis
First Advisor
Marybeth C. Stalp
Keywords
Tramps; Technology—Social aspects;
Abstract
In this research I investigate how our increasingly technological society is changing the lives and culture of hobos. Hobos are traditionally viewed as migratory workers who ride trains to travel to different jobs, and who were in the greatest abundance during the Great Depression. In the 1950s and 60s, impacted by the popularity of Kerouac's novel, On the Road, hobos began to incorporate the beat movement's love of freedom and poetry as a part of their culture. Most recently, hobo ideology can be found in anti-consumer and "simple living" communities. Conducting ethnographic research at the National Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa, I used several qualitative research methodologies in order to explore the authenticity of modern hobo communities. In our post-industrial society, due largely to new technological innovation, it is impossible to be an "authentic" hobo.
Year of Submission
2010
Department
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology
University Honors Designation
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the designation University Honors
Date Original
5-2010
Object Description
1 PDF file (64 pages)
Copyright
©2010 Natalie K. Turner
Recommended Citation
Turner, Natalie K., "Wandering Socially: Technology and the Modern American Hobo Community" (2010). Honors Program Theses. 793.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/hpt/793
Comments
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