Date of Award
Fall 2013
Project Type
Thesis
Program or Major
History
Degree Name
Master of Arts
First Advisor
Jessica M Lepler
Abstract
Emerging stronger than ever in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars, "orientalism" was more than just pictures of Turkish girls in a sultan's harem; it was a process of information sharing through art, literature, military campaigns, and politics. Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, colloquially known as Mormonism, in the midst of this information exchange. A product of his era, he used orientalist rhetoric and imagery to connect the ideas he preached to ancient Judaism, thereby legitimizing the new religion within the context of a much older and more respected holy past. But he was not the only one incorporating perceptions of the Middle East into his writings. Non-Mormons used orientalism, specifically their perceptions of Islam, to understand a seemingly bizarre new religious movement. Through this process, both groups managed to transform otherwise ordinary Americans into strangers in their own land.
Recommended Citation
Ruddell, Mahala, "Strangers in their own native land: Joseph Smith, Mormons, and the orientalizating of an American people" (2013). Master's Theses and Capstones. 172.
https://scholars.unh.edu/thesis/172