Mormonism is one of the few homegrown religions in the United
States, one that emerged out of the religious fervor of the early
nineteenth century. Yet, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints have struggled for status and recognition. In
this book, W. Paul Reeve explores the ways in which nineteenth
century Protestant white America made outsiders out of an inside
religious group. Much of what has been written on Mormon otherness
centers upon economic, cultural, doctrinal, marital, and political
differences that set Mormons apart from mainstream America. Reeve
instead looks at how Protestants racialized Mormons, using physical
differences in order to define Mormons as non-White to help justify
their expulsion from Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. He analyzes and
contextualizes the rhetoric on Mormons as a race with period
discussions of the Native American, African American, Oriental,
Turk/Islam, and European immigrant races. He also examines how
Mormon male, female, and child bodies were characterized in these
racialized debates. For instance, while Mormons argued that
polygamy was ordained by God, and so created angelic, celestial,
and elevated offspring, their opponents suggested that the children
were degenerate and deformed. The Protestant white majority was
convinced that Mormonism represented a racial-not merely
religious-departure from the mainstream and spent considerable
effort attempting to deny Mormon whiteness. Being white brought
access to political, social, and economic power, all aspects of
citizenship in which outsiders sought to limit or prevent Mormon
participation. At least a part of those efforts came through
persistent attacks on the collective Mormon body, ways in which
outsiders suggested that Mormons were physically different,
racially more similar to marginalized groups than they were white.
Medical doctors went so far as to suggest that Mormon polygamy was
spawning a new race. Mormons responded with aspirations toward
whiteness. It was a back and forth struggle between what outsiders
imagined and what Mormons believed. Mormons ultimately emerged
triumphant, but not unscathed. Mormon leaders moved away from
universalistic ideals toward segregated priesthood and temples,
policies firmly in place by the early twentieth century. So
successful were Mormons at claiming whiteness for themselves that
by the time Mormon Mitt Romney sought the White House in 2012, he
was labeled "the whitest white man to run for office in recent
memory." Ending with reflections on ongoing views of the Mormon
body, this groundbreaking book brings together literatures on
religion, whiteness studies, and nineteenth century racial history
with the history of politics and migration.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
