Women in Spiritual and Communitarian Societies in the United States (Utopianism and Communitarianism) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0815625693 ISBN 13: 9780815625698

Publisher: Syracuse University Press, 1993

Synopsis

Although the American communitarian movement has long offered critiques of mainstream society and has often claimed to liberate its members from traditional gendered behaviors and institutions, the social experiences of women in communal societies are just beginning to attract scholarly attention. This interdisciplinary collection surveys women's roles and social experience in these societies from the eighteenth century to the present. Combining both scholarly views and autobiographical material, the authors reveal the complexity and multiplicity of women's experiences in a wide range of religious, secular, and modem interactive-psychology communities. The authors assess women as spiritual seekers; as feminists; as artists and craftswomen; as daughters, lovers, wives, and mothers; as workers; and as economic and political decision makers in their communities. Issues of autonomy, leadership, creativity, sexuality and marriage, gender equality, and the degree of experimentation with women's roles in communities are among the prominent themes of the essays. Scholars and students of American history, religion, sociology, utopian studies, and women's studies will find that this book greatly enriches our understanding of women's experience in spiritual and communitarian societies.

About this title

About the Author

<b>Wendy E. Chmielewski</b> is curator of the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. <b>Louis J. Kern</b> teaches history at Hofstra University. <b>Marlyn Klee-Hartzell</b> teaches political science at Adelphi University.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Sojourner Truth had attended camp meetings and had exhorted the crowds many times before. Now, however, preaching was her primary work and the way Truth hoped to spend the rest of her working life. Throughout her travels Truth searched for a place in which she could settle. Although she had experienced great difficulties and disappointment in The Kingdom community, Truth knew that a community that was experimenting with new social relationships might give greater scope to an African-American woman. She was looking for a congenial community in which a woman of her abilities would be accepted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Syracuse University Press
• Publication date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0815625693
• ISBN 13: 9780815625698
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 296
• Editor: Chmielewski Wendy E., Kern Louis J., Klee-Hartzell Marlyn