I have been working on a project in Appalachia involving the production
of moonshine as an alternative economy, especially for those unable to
work in the mining and refining industries. I am now traveling to
Ireland, Scotland, and Slovakia to research the connections between
moonshining and nationalist movements. My particular interest is whether
the basics of untaxed alcohol production migrated to Appalachia and
whether that production was already bound up with the idea of resistance,
so that when widows chose to moonshine to keep children from the mines or
steelmills they were working from a legacy of illegal distillation as
cultural and economic resistance to outside forces.
 
If anyone knows of references to links between moonshining and the Irish
Independence Movement, or Scottish and Slovak nationalism, particularly
whether moonshine funds were channeled into the coffers of nationalist
groups, I would be very grateful for the assistance. Also, I
would appreciate any suggestion of places to visit during my research
travels that might provide information on local cultures' resistance to
colonialism, particularly if liquor was involved.
 
Jonathan Highfield
Rhode Island School of Design
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