Queering Mennonite Literature : Archives, Activism, and the Search for Community

Though the terms “queer” and “Mennonite” rarely come into theoretical or cultural contact, over the last several decades writers and scholars in the United States and Canada have built a body of queer Mennonite literature that shifts these identities into conversation. In this volume, Daniel Shank Cruz brings this growing genre into a critical focus, bridging the gaps between queer theory, literary criticism, and Mennonite literature. Cruz focuses his analysis on recent Mennonite-authored literary texts that espouse queer theoretical principles, including Christina Penner’s __Widows of Hamilton House__, Wes Funk’s __Wes Side Story__, and Sofia Samatar’s __Tender__. These works argue for the existence of a “queer Mennonite” identity on the basis of shared values: a commitment to social justice, a rejection of binaries, the importance of creative approaches to conflict resolution, and the practice of mutual aid, especially in resisting oppression. Through his analysis, Cruz encourages those engaging with both Mennonite and queer literary criticism to explore the opportunity for conversation and overlap between the two fields. By arguing for engagement between these two identities and highlighting the aspects of Mennonitism that are inherently “queer,” Cruz gives much-needed attention to an emerging subfield of Mennonite literature. This volume makes a new and important intervention into the fields of queer theory, literary studies, Mennonite studies, and religious studies.

Though the terms "queer" and "Mennonite" rarely come intotheoretical or cultural contact, over the last several decadeswriters and scholars in the United States and Canada have built abody of queer Mennonite literature that shifts these identitiesinto conversation. In this volume, Daniel Shank Cruz brings thisgrowing genre into a critical focus, bridging the gaps betweenqueer theory, literary criticism, and Mennonite literature.

Cruz focuses his analysis on recent Mennonite-authored literarytexts that espouse queer theoretical principles, includingChristina Penner's Widows of Hamilton House, Wes Funk'sWes Side Story, and Sofia Samatar's Tender. Theseworks argue for the existence of a "queer Mennonite" identity onthe basis of shared values: a commitment to social justice, arejection of binaries, the importance of creative approaches toconflict resolution, and the practice of mutual aid, especially inresisting oppression. Through his analysis, Cruz encourages thoseengaging with both Mennonite and queer literary criticism toexplore the opportunity for conversation and overlap between thetwo fields.

By arguing for engagement between these two identities andhighlighting the aspects of Mennonitism that are inherently"queer," Cruz gives much-needed attention to an emerging subfieldof Mennonite literature. This volume makes a new and importantintervention into the fields of queer theory, literary studies,Mennonite studies, and religious studies.

"Examines the ways queer theory and Mennonite literature have intersected over the past decade and how these two traditions hold fundamental commitments to social justice in common"--Provided by publisher