Mennonites, politics, and peoplehood : Europe-Russia-Canada, 1525-1980 / James Urry.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Urry, James.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mennonites--Political activity--Europe--History.

Mennonites.

Mennonites--Political activity--Russia--History.

Mennonites--Political activity--Canada--History.

Mennonites--Political activity.

History.

Canada.

Russia.

Europe.

Physical Description:

xv, 400 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Winnipeg : University of Manitoba Press, [2006]

Summary:

Mennonites and their forebears are usually thought to be a people with little interest or involvement in politics. Mennonites, Politics, and Peoplehood reveals that since their early history, Mennonites have, in fact, been active participants in worldly politics. James Urry's meticulous research spans western to eastern Europe, and several different migrations to North America, to trace Mennonite links with kingdoms, empires, republics, and democratic nations in the context of peace, war, and revolution. He stresses a degree of Mennonite involvement in political affairs not previously discussed in literature, including Mennonite participation in constitutional reform and party politics, and shows the polarization of their political views from conservatism to liberalism and even revolutionary activities.

Urry looks at the Mennonite reaction to politics and political events from the Reformation onwards and focusses particularly on those people who settled in Russia and their descendants who came to Manitoba. Using a wide variety of sources, he takes an interdisciplinary approach to reveal that Mennonites, far from being the "Quiet in the Land," have deep roots in political life.

Contents:

Introduction: The Quiet in the Land 3

Part 1 Europe

1 Confessions and Magistrates (1525-1750) 17

2 Mandates and Privilegia (1650-1800) 39

3 Revolutions and Constitutions (1750-1874) 55

Part 2 Russia

4 Power and Privilege (1790-1905) 85

5 Constitutionalism and Solidarity (1905-1918) 111

6 Autonomy and Ideology (1918-1929) 137

Part 3 Canada

7 Party and Patronage: Manitoba (1890-1920) 161

8 Communities and Identities: The Russlander (1923-1940) 185

9 Party and "Ethnicity": Manitoba (1927-1974) 205

10 Polarization and Partisanship: Winnipeg (1921-1980) 229

Conclusion: The Loud in the Land 255.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [353]-388) and index.

ISBN:

0887556884 :

OCLC:

62346521

Publisher Number:

9780887556883