The Palgrave Companion to North American Utopias

What is utopia? Why are communes created? Where are they, and what do they promote? The Palgrave Companion to North American Utopias is a fascinating catalog of utopian societies and communes from past to present. From the Shakers to the Mormons to the Raelians and the Hutterites, the quest for a utopian lifestyle has been a human endeavor since the beginning of time. In this intriguing guide, North American utopian communities are explored by John and Virginia Friesen with a view to a new social system for the twenty-first century. The authors assert that the formation of a utopian society is feasible, and give examples of how to create one. This is a smart, clever, and unique reference for all who are curious to know more about utopian communities. What is utopia? Why are communes created? Where are they, and what do they promote? The Palgrave Companion to North American Utopias is a fascinating virtual catalogue of utopian societies and communes from past to present. From the Shakers to the Mormons to the Raelians and the Hutterites, the quest for a utopian lifestyle has been a human endeavor since the beginning of time. In this intriguing guide, North American utopian communities are explored by Friesen and Friesen with a view to a new social system for the twenty first century. The authors assert that the formation of a utopian society is both possible and feasible, and give examples of how to create one of our own. This is a smart, clever and unique reference for all of us who are curious to know more about utopian communities Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 1 The Concept of Utopia......Page 22 2 The Need for Utopia......Page 34 3 Noncommunal Utopias......Page 62 4 Religious Communes......Page 94 5 Economic-Oriented Communes......Page 138 6 The Harmonists: An Economic-Religious Model......Page 158 7 Unorthodox Communes......Page 178 8 Twentieth-Century Communes......Page 196 9 Hutterite Communalism......Page 232 10 Toward a Model of Utopia......Page 248 References......Page 262 C......Page 272 K......Page 273 P......Page 274 T......Page 275 W......Page 276 B......Page 278 E......Page 279 K......Page 280 O......Page 281 S......Page 282 Z......Page 283 About the Authors......Page 284 The Palgrave Companion to North American Utopias is a uniquely insightful examination of utopian societies, past and present, ranging from New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to the Oregon coast and Western Canada. In this comprehensive and colorful history, we are introduced to visionary leaders and communities from the eighteenth century to today, ranging from the well-known Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon faith, to the Ananda Cooperative Village of the Sierra Nevada. This is a smart, clever, and unique reference for all of us curious to know more about the history of North American utopian communities. "The Palgrave Companion to North American Utopias is an examination of utopian societies, past and present, ranging from New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to the Oregon coast and Western Canada. In this comprehensive history, we are introduced to visionary leaders and communities from the eighteenth century to today, ranging from the well-known Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon faith, to the Ananda Cooperative Village of the Sierra Nevada."--Jacket John W. Friesen, Virginia Lyons Friesen. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [253]-261) And Index.