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Article
Technology and Community in a Rural Culture: The Amish
Author(s)
Randall E. Basham
Full-Text PDF XML 821 Views
DOI:10.17265/2328-2177/2019.12.002
Affiliation(s)
University of Texas at Arlington, Texas, United States
ABSTRACT
The
Amish are a marginal outgroup in the United States who have remained far from
the center of the dominant society in their nearly 400 year history. This is in
part due to a judicious acceptance and adoption of newer technologies, as these
are not viewed as vales free. This highly religious community is promoted as a
tourist attraction by various states where their communities flourish. Their
culture seems quaint or antiquated, though this is partly due to a preference
for older methods of labor and production that have stood the test of time and
serve to maintain integrity of the culture. The Amish have been
persecuted in past for choosing to be a non-violent culture, which has also
prohibited their exposure to various technologies. Their history in America
runs counter to the culture and experiences of the dominant social culture, as
well as many minority cultures. Their endurance and success run counter to much
of the development of social welfare milestones and policy in America. Yet, the
Amish represent marginal and oppressed people in immigrant history. Many who
promote their culture continue to exploit them based upon the misunderstandings
of the larger society. Some who write about them perpetuate these
misconceptions. This paper seeks to examine critically via the selection of
available historical evidence, and through the historical observations of
earlier writers raised in Amish tradition, how the Amish view themselves and
concerning technology within their culture.
KEYWORDS
community, culture, religion, rural, technology
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