Southern Exposure was an award-winning print journal published by the Institute for Southern Studies, publisher of Facing South, from 1973 until 2011. Southern Exposure earned a national reputation for its writing on a broad range of political and cultural issues in the South, with a special emphasis on investigative journalism and oral history.

On the 50th anniversary of Southern Exposure’s birth, Facing South and the Institute will be publishing a full digital archive of the journal over the course of the year. The initial installment of the archives available in March 2023 includes issues from the magazine’s launch in 1973 through 1981.

Vol. 30 No. 1/2 - Spring/Summer 2002
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Magazine cover with black and white photo of landscape with large buildings in the background and warplane flying overhead, text reads "Missiles and Magnolias: the South at War"

Missiles and Magnolias: The South at War

  • Letter from the Editor

    3

  • Field Work: The Institute in Action

    6

  • Southern News Roundup

    8

  • Missiles and Magnolias: The South at War

    More than any other region, the South is ensnared by the politics, culture and economy of U.S. military dominance. By Jordan Green and Chris Kromm

    15

  • The Company in the Company Town

    In Fayetteville, North Carolina, transient troops prop up an unstable retail and service economy. A look into the life of a town that's in permanent preparation for war. By Catherine Lutz

    19

  • 'We Pay for Our Beatings': Life at the Citadel

    The Citadel is long on performance and short on military credentials—and stands as a symbol for South Carolina's intransigence in the face of change. By Jenny Stepp

    25

  • Killing Me Softly: Reflections of a Vietnam Combat Veteran

    A soldier-turned-activist reveals his participation in atrocitie against the people of Vietnam, and reflects on the long journey back from violence to redemption. By Stan Goff

    29

  • War Within War: The Hidden Story of Black War Resisters

    Although largely omitted from the history books, revolt in the ranks by African-American soldiers was common during the Vietnam War—a result of intolerable white racism abroad and simmering civil strife back home. By James Maycock

    33

  • Fayettenam, 1969: Tales From a GI Coffeehouse

    A vital part of the opposition to the American war against the Vietnamese people took place on American bases throughout the South. A ground-level account of organizing the GI resistance movement at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. By Adolph Reed Jr.

    38

  • So Long As We Struggle, We Are Winning: Prospects for Peace

    Resistance to militarism requires hope, and our ability to build solidarity with global struggles for liberation, argues internationally-known peace activist Rania Masri.

    42

  • The South At War, State By State

    The South's economy is dominated by the military, and its congressional delegations fuel the drive towards militarism with hawkish politics. Find out how your state fares in the military economy.

    45

  • Reviews: Recommended Wartime REading

    By Jordan Green

    68
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