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Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social groups & communities > Associations, clubs, societies
A classic and highly controversial expose of the secret world of
the Freemasons reissued with a new introduction by Martin Short,
author of 'Inside the Brotherhood'. The Freemasons have long
fascinated outsiders. The subject of Dan Brown's new novel - set
for release in 2007 - this secret and exclusive society, thought to
be the largest in Britain today, remains a mystery to the many
excluded from its ranks. One would never know if a father or
brother was a member due to the mandatory vow of secrecy. In this
classic, controversial expose, Stephen Knight talks to the men on
the inside - those who have broken their vow of secrecy to reveal
the darker side of the 'brotherhood'. Do they influence the law? Is
the KGB involved? And is there is a secret group of Masons running
the country today, perhaps influencing every move we make? Fully
updated with a new introduction by Martin Short, acclaimed author
of 'Inside the Brotherhood', this is the unmissable, true story of
an ancient, and mysterious brotherhood operating in our midst.
Freemasonry has played a significant role in the history of Native
Americans since the colonial era-a role whose extent and meaning
are fully explored for the first time in this book. The overarching
concern of Native American Freemasonry is with how Masonry met
specific social and personal needs of Native Americans, a theme
developed across three periods: the revolutionary era, the last
third of the nineteenth century, and the years following the First
World War. Joy Porter positions Freemasonry within its historical
context, examining its social and political impact as a
transatlantic phenomenon at the heart of the colonizing process.
She then explores its meaning for many key Native leaders, for
ethnic groups that sought to make connections through it, and for
the bulk of its American membership-the white Anglo-Saxon
Protestant middle class. Through research gleaned from archives in
New York, Philadelphia, Oklahoma, California, and London, Porter
shows how Freemasonry's performance of ritual provided an
accessible point of entry to Native Americans and how over time,
Freemasonry became a significant avenue for the exchange and
co-creation of cultural forms by Indians and non-Indians.
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