HONR 206H: Old Order Culture

This course was offered in the spring of 2008. 

 

Who are the Old Order Peoples, and how have they managed to survive in 21^st Century America without television, radio, computers, and automobiles?  This course will explore these questions as well as the history, religion, and customs of each culture by first considering what it means to be Old Order. The course will then examine Old Order groups such as the Amish, Hutterites, Mennonites, and River Brethren. The course will also investigate the Amana Colonies of Iowa, the Shakers, and the Quakers, all groups which are often confused with the Old Order Peoples.  Specific topics to be covered for each of these cultures will include family life, education, dress, religious customs, and language.  The course will conclude with a discussion of social change and the future of the Old Order People in North America.