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Exploring the Social and Cultural World

Explore the origins of Amish culture, their close relationship between religion and community life, and traditional practices such as marriage customs and gender roles. Learn about their fascinating history and cultural beliefs.

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Exploring the Social and Cultural World

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  1. Exploring the Social and Cultural World The Amish By Miss Fiona Brown, St. Peter’s Catholic College

  2. In a Cultural Comparison one should: • Consider how their lives are similar and different to yours. • Avoid making value judgements on whether their experiences are better or worse than yours • Avoid ethnocentrism – The belief that one’s own group or culture is superior to all other groups or cultures.

  3. In a Cultural Comparison one should: • Avoid stereotypes and generalisations – broad conclusions that cover information about the majority of a group rather than detailing specific variations within groups - may be made. • Generalisations are valuable in case studies for the purpose of broad comparisons but any conclusions drawn may not apply to all Amish people.

  4. The Amish - Origins • The Amish people are direct descendants of the Anabaptists of sixteenth century Europe. • Anabaptism is a religion that came about during the reformation era. During sixteenth century Europe, people were changing their ideas about religion. Prior to this time, Europe was traditionally united in "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church". However this "One Church" did much more than regulate people's spiritual needs. It was highly connected with the state and politics, and during the Reformation, people began to take a stand against the Church. After 1517, the Roman Catholic Church began to lose much of its political and moral authority, and at this time, reformers such as Martin Luther stepped in and made changes to Church structure and doctrine.

  5. The term Anabaptist first started out as a nickname that meant "rebaptiser", because this group rejected the idea of infant baptism. They said that because an infant does not have the knowledge of good and evil, it can not have sin. • The Anabaptists were seen as a threat to Europe's religious and social institutions and were therefore persecuted. As a result of this persecution, Anabaptists emigrated to find refuge in places such as Moravia, Alsace, Palatinate, and the Netherlands.

  6. The Amish - Origins • The Amish movement was founded in Europe by Jacob Amman (~1644 to ~1720 CE), from whom their name is derived. In many ways, it started as a reform group within the Mennonite movement -- an attempt to restore some of the early practices of the Mennonites. http://www.religioustolerance.org/amish.htm

  7. Where Amish communities are located in the USA today • Question: How many countries do the Amish live in today?Answer: The Amish live in 24 states of the United States (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New York, Maine, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Montana and Washington) and the Province of Ontario, Canada) • Data provided by THE BUDGET and Courtesy of America's Amish Country II.

  8. Interaction between culture and religion • There is a close reciprocal relationship between the areas of religion and culture. • Religion is profoundly influenced by its cultural context because religion cannot be expressed other than through a particular cultural setting and context. • http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/pennsylvania/a/amish_2.htm • http://www.800padutch.com/amishpeople.shtml

  9. Ordnung • Electricity and telephones are not connected to Amish houses because they are considered ‘worldly’ • Amish will not own cars • Amish travel in horse drawn buggies • Education is completed in Year 8 • Breaking of rules may result in ‘shunning’

  10. Family and Marriage Marriage and Family are the cornerstone of the Amish community. Finding a mate and starting a family is the most important decision an Amish person must make to keep the Amish community strong. All Children are expected to find a spouse by their early twenties with many marriage occurring during late adolescence. When a couple have been dating a while and decide to get married there is no engagement ring or party. The decision is made in secret and parents and siblings are notified of the upcoming union usually in July or August. The offical announcement is made to the whole community 1 month before the marriage takes place. Some communities set aside 1 Sunday in October to announce ll of those who plan to marry. The wedding takes place in Nov or Dec after harvesting season is over. Tuesday and Thursdays are popular days to get married because a full day is needed before and after to prepare for an Amish wedding and this could never include a Sunday. Further reading on the Ceremony can be found here

  11. Gender Roles • Father head of family • Unmarried women can work • Married women work within the family • Older males educate young boys • Farming and working with wood and leather • Older women educate young girls • Homemaking skills and business skills • Working children give all pay to their father to support the family • Family all live close to each other

  12. Activity: • What commonalities and differences can you see between you and the Amish in terms of Family? • Do you have specific gender roles in your family? If so what are they? Make a list. • Examine if individuals in your micro world have levels of status. What are they? How did they get to that level or status? • Use specific examples, concepts and course language to answer the activity questions.

  13. Roles and Status • Status for the Amish is not like in Western societies but there is a hierarchy of leaders, it’s commonly based on Religion. • Males provide leadership Council of Elders Church Bishop – Established leader of community Church ministers and deacons support them

  14. LIFE CYCLE • Adolescents can experiment with the world of the “English” (nonAmish) before committing to Amish life. This time is known as ‘Rumschpringe’ (rumspringa) • An Amish rite of passage

  15. Activity: • What positives do you see coming out of such a “time out” period for Amish adolescents and what challenges do you see them having to face as a result of “time out”? • How is cultural continuity of the Amish threatened by Rumschpringes? • What types conflict might come from this type of rite of passage? (cultural confilct, individual, group, family) • Make a list of rites of passage that australia adolescents go through

  16. Conflict, cooperation and decision making • Society is based on cooperation. All accept the ordnung therefore common set of values for all. • In the community people accept authority of God and bishops, ministers and deacons • In the family children accept parental authority. • Ultimately all must be personally responsible. • Shunning of people who break baptismal vows often occurs.

  17. Barn raising shows cooperation

  18. Media & Technology • Amish tend not to see much of the media but with modernisation, conflict with the media begins to occur Image source: Newspaper article: School Shooting in an Amish One room School

  19. Gender Male • Leader of the community • Provider • Farm normally passed onto men Female • Homemaker • Marry to be a farmwife

  20. Gender stands to be challenged by modernisation and change in today's world and becoming harder for continuity to prevail especially in regards to females.

  21. Communication • Interaction and communication occurs in the family first and foremost then through the church providing community activities as an opportunity to communicate with other. Amish are bilingual • German – used at church • Dutch/German – create a dialect for everyday conversation • English – children learn it and talk with nonAmish in English.

  22. Activity: • How do the Amish Communicate? • What are some of the key tools of communication that Western cultures use? (Both Verbal and Non-Verbal?) • Assess the lack of technologies impact on the Amish peoples communication style? • What could be some of the consequences of modernisation within the culture?

  23. Power and Authority Authority • Bishops are influential, main link to the ordnung & God • Council of Elders hold authority, this authority is rarely challenged Power • Male head of family – powerful position of organisation, experience and effective running of the family farm business • Bible major source of power and authority

  24. Activity • Create a table outlining the commonalities and differences Australian cultures and that of the Amish – Specifically focusing on elements of Power and Authority?

  25. Glossary of Amish Words to use • The English – (non Amish) • Rumschpringes • Ordnung • Anabaptists • Shunning

  26. Your turn to think Writing Task • What are the most significant differences between your life and that experienced by a typical Amish adolescent? • Use course concepts, language and specific examples to support your answer.

  27. Further research: Newspaper articles: A New Amish community is founded every three weeks Amish Converts choosing their religion…. (UK Guardian NP) Website: Pennsylvanian Amish history and beliefs: Modernisation Youtube Amish: A secret life The Amish – Shunned Living with the Amish – Teen swap between England and the Amish community

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