Imperial Zions: Religion, Race, and Family in the American West and the Pacific (Studies in Pacific Worlds)

In the nineteenth century, white Americans contrasted the perceived purity of white, middle-class women with the perceived eroticism of women of color and the working classes. The Latter-day Saint practice of polygamy challenged this separation, encouraging white women to participate in an institution that many people associated with the streets of Calcutta or Turkish palaces. At the same time, Latter-day Saints participated in American settler colonialism. After their expulsion from Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, Latter-day Saints dispossessed Ute and Shoshone communities in an attempt to build their American Zion. Their missionary work abroad also helped to solidify American influence in the Pacific Islands as the church became a participant in American expansion. Imperial Zions explores the importance of the body in Latter-day Saint theology with the faith’s attempts to spread its gospel as a “civilizing” force in the American West and the Pacific. By highlighting the intertwining of Latter-day Saint theology and American ideas about race, sexuality, and the nature of colonialism, Imperial Zions argues that Latter-day Saints created their understandings of polygamy at the same time they tried to change the domestic practices of Native Americans and other Indigenous peoples. Amanda Hendrix-Komoto tracks the work of missionaries as they moved through different imperial spaces to analyze the experiences of the American Indians and Native Hawaiians who became a part of white Latter-day Saint families. Imperial Zions is a foundational contribution that places Latter-day Saint discourses about race and peoplehood in the context of its ideas about sexuality, gender, and the family. In the nineteenth century, white Americans contrasted the perceivedpurity of white, middle-class women with the perceived eroticism ofwomen of color and the working classes. The Latter-day Saintpractice of polygamy challenged this separation, encouraging whitewomen to participate in an institution that many people associatedwith the streets of Calcutta or Turkish palaces. At the same time,Latter-day Saints participated in American settler colonialism.After their expulsion from Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, Latter-daySaints dispossessed Ute and Shoshone communities in an attempt tobuild their American Zion. Their missionary work abroad also helpedto solidify American influence in the Pacific Islands as the churchbecame a participant in American expansion. Imperial Zionsexplores the importance of the body in Latter-day Saint theologywith the faith's attempts to spread its gospel as a "civilizing"force in the American West and the Pacific. By highlighting theintertwining of Latter-day Saint theology and American ideas aboutrace, sexuality, and the nature of colonialism, ImperialZions argues that Latter-day Saints created theirunderstandings of polygamy at the same time they tried to changethe domestic practices of Native Americans and other Indigenouspeoples. Amanda Hendrix-Komoto tracks the work of missionaries asthey moved through different imperial spaces to analyze theexperiences of the American Indians and Native Hawaiians who becamea part of white Latter-day Saint families. Imperial Zionsis a foundational contribution that places Latter-day Saintdiscourses about race and peoplehood in the context of its ideasabout sexuality, gender, and the family Cover Title Page Copright Page Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Note on Terminology Introduction 1. The Race and Sex of God 2. The Bonds between Sisters 3. Redeeming the Lamanites in Native America and the Pacific 4. Creating Polygamous Domesticities 5. Making Native Kin 6. Native Zions Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index "Imperial Zions explores the importance of the body in Mormon theology with the faith's attempts to spread its gospel as a "civilizing" force in the American West and the Pacific to highlight the intertwining of Latter-day Saint theology and American ideas about race, sexuality, and the nature of colonialism"-- Provided by publisher Imperial Zions explores the importance of the body in Latter-day Saint theology through the faith's attempts to spread its gospel as a ""civilizing"" force, highlighting the intertwining of Latter-day Saint theology and American ideas about race, sexuality, and colonialism