Comments on: Call for Papers: What is Mormon Studies?

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:22:33 +0000

Thanks for the links!

By: David G.

David G. — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:24:13 +0000

Matthew, I think you do raise an important point; I hope my comment didn’t come across as dismissing it. I agree that Mormon studies, however we define that, can and does have the potential of ghettoizing young scholars. Bushman refers to this as the Black Hole of Mormon history. But when it comes down to it, I think the question is whether individuals who remain confined in a Mormon Studies mentality are going to make it on the job market. My sense is that it’s tough enough getting a job right now in any field; Mormon studies junkies who can’t speak the language of the disciplines they’re applying in are going to have an even more difficult time.

As to you question about whether Mormons are an ethnic group, my coblogger Joel, who does Ethnic Studies and history at the University of Illinois, has written a couple of posts on that. I’d encourage you to check them out.

http://www.juvenileinstructor.org/identifying-with-romney-my-historiographical-rant-against-mormon-ethnicity/

http://www.juvenileinstructor.org/examining-mormon-ethnicity-part-ii/

And he promised a part three awhile back, which, if you’re reading Joel, we’re still waiting for with bated breath.

By: Steve Fleming

Steve Fleming — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:11:03 +0000

Scholars who focussed primarily on Mormonism rather than engaging in the broader academic world have been around for a long time. I see the opposite trend with more of the young scholars much more integrated. There will always be those who want to focus primarily on the Mormon academic community and that’s okay. But again, the trend seems to going the other way.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00:37 +0000

David G. – I agree that I do not forsee Mormon Studies becoming a full fledged department at various universities.
I guess my concern is on a smaller scale. For example, there is a great guy taking classes at my university who hops around into different departments studying Mormonism. I think it is great that he is using a multi-disciplined approach; however, I do not sense he really has a strong grasp of any field he is sampling. Nevertheless, he has published an couple articles and given some presentation and will likely emerge as an expert on Mormondom when he finishes the dissertation. So, I guess I worry about a future where Mormon experts filling faculty positions and writing books know a lot about Mormonism but do not really understand the broader context or the tools we are using. In this way, we may isolate ourselves and our work, and gradually lose credibility to outsiders. That has been the a major concern about these other “x” studies fields. Of course, there is something good (very good) to be said for inter-disciplinary communication on a particular topic.
I really do value inter-disciplinary approaches–I just worry that when it becomes the method (instead of a actual system of inquiry) we walk a dangerous line. All this said, I’m a hypocrite myself.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:36:01 +0000

mmiles – Mormons are not an ethnic group?

As I said, I’m new to Mormon Studies, but I find it difficult to exclude Mormons from such a category. Ethnicty is a debated term in the academe, but most agree that it is the synthesis of a few basic elements: imagined or real historical genesis; shared tradition/culture; some level of self-recognition; often serves an advocacy function; etc. Mormons pretty much meet every requirement that anthropologists and historians use to define an ethnic group.

So, has the “Mormon Studies” community already determined that Mormons are not an ethnic group? I think that would be a premature conclusion.

By: mmiles

mmiles — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:23:24 +0000

While I think Matthew raises good concerns, Mormons aren’t really part of an ethnic group–they’re a religious group. There is no problem around the country containing Eastern religion studies, Islamic studies or Jewish studies. I think the long-term goal would be to aim for that, maybe.

By: David G.

David G. — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:21:33 +0000

I should add that many Native American/Latina, Latino/Ethnic Studies programs are staffed by scholars in other departments (history, literature, anthropology, etc.) who teach courses within their departments but crosslist them with the interdisciplinary program. Outside of BYU and maybe USU and U of U, I don’t think there are any other schools with scholars writing and teaching on Mormonism in multiple departments that could make similar arrangements. I just think we’re a long way away from having such scenarios.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:10:03 +0000

well put, David.

By: David G.

David G. — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:59:28 +0000

Ultimately, I don’t see “Mormon Studies” being institutionalized beyond what we’re seeing at Claremont or USU–maybe a professor who teaches courses on Mormonism combined with a minor field within a Rel. Studies or similar degree program. I don’t think we’ll see the day where a school has a full-blown “Mormon Studies” department.

What is feasible are explicitly interdisciplinary conferences and maybe edited collections of essays exploring the connections between fields that touch on Mormonism in some way. Seems like Taysom made a comment along these lines on another thread. But in order for this to happen, young scholars need to be making solid contributions to already established fields first.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:45:38 +0000

Matthew: I share your fear in some people misinterpreting “mormon studies” to mean a singled-out discipline, distinct from other fields. I don’t think a pigeon-holed mormon studies would be desired by readers outside those intrinsically interested. Rather, I see Mormon studies as an outlook on Mormonism that plays into these other fields and looks at the broader field. In a way, I think “Mormon Studies” has to look more outside of Mormonism than what has hitherto been done. I think others share my view as well, and that many of us have the same fear as you articulate.

But, then again, there are probably others who disagree–hence the hot debate surrounding the topic and the need for a conference like this.