Anabaptist Roots in North American Landscapes: The Plain People Today

As the lands of origin for the Plain People, German-speaking countries in particular should have a greater interest in the teaching of and research on the Anabaptists. However, not only the seminars taught but also the body of research conducted in Germany and beyond do not sufficiently reflect the importance of the Plain People – currently the fastest growing religious minority in the United States. In light of the paucity of research emanating from Europe on the Plain People, the conference at Leuphana University Lüneburg seeks to initiate new discourses in this neglected area. The aim of the Anabaptist conference is threefold: first, to challenge our knowledge of the Plain People as the Other, i.e. people who are simultaneously demonized and exoticized; second, to shift the focus from neo-evangelistic and Islamic fundamentalist discourses – especially prevalent in the United States after 9/11 – to the study of religious groups who, at first sight, appear to be the exact opposite of fundamentalism; and third, to examine more closely the relevance that artefacts of popular culture hold for the Anabaptists in particular and for western societies in general.

Mitorganisatorin (zusammen mit Dr. Sabrina Völz)