Overview

Life Histories of Bahá’í Women in Canada: Constructing Religious Identity in the Twentieth Century is an unprecedented study of the essential features of living a Bahá’í life, examining contributions and experiences of a diverse group of Canadian women and men in a new religion through a sociological framework and a women-centred perspective. The key figures in the Bahá’í Faith, early female heroes, major teachings of the religion, and Canadian Bahá’í history are detailed. A background on social history and the feminization of religion also provides a context for twentieth century Canadian life. Drawing upon Western religious and secular thought and practice, theories and social attitudes about the nature of woman and the Bahá’í perspective on these topics are explicated. These stirring narratives, historical and contemporary, provide a compelling perspective on social processes and interactional dimensions of Bahá’í community life. The life histories also illustrate, in poignant, humorous, and inspiring ways, how these notable Bahá’ís «story» themselves along the way. The teachings of the Bahá’í Faith are remarkably forward looking. One of the foundational principles is the oneness of humanity, and an integral part of this oneness is the equality of women with men. Lay readers and students of religion, sociology, and women’s and gender studies, will be interested in how members make meaning of these teachings on equality and how women’s participation in the Bahá’í institutional system is promoted and maintained.

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9781433114571

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'Life Histories of Baha'i Women in Canada' is an important contribution to Baha'i studies on two levels. First, it presents stories of the experiences of early women in the Baha'i community of Canada. Were it not for Echevarria's interviews, much of this knowledge might have been lost forever as the research participants reach the end of their lives. Second, the book provides an excellent example of how one can discuss topics related to the Baha'i Faith and the Baha'i Writings in ways that connect to the discourse of areas of scholarship not explicitly concerned with religion. There is no awkwardness to this process. The author successfully brings together the narratives of Baha'is, academic literature, the Baha'i Writings, and the work of other Baha'i scholars. I warmly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Baha'i history, the equality of women and men, feminist approaches to religious studies, and anyone who would like to be inspired by a good read. (Deborah van den Hoonaard, The Journal of Baha'i Studies 24.1-2, 2014)

`Life Histories of Baha'i Women in Canada' is an important contribution to Baha'i studies on two levels. First, it presents stories of the experiences of early women in the Baha'i community of Canada. Were it not for Echevarria's interviews, much of this knowledge might have been lost forever as the research participants reach the end of their lives. Second, the book provides an excellent example of how one can discuss topics related to the Baha'i Faith and the Baha'i Writings in ways that connect to the discourse of areas of scholarship not explicitly concerned with religion. There is no awkwardness to this process. The author successfully brings together the narratives of Baha'is, academic literature, the Baha'i Writings, and the work of other Baha'i scholars. I warmly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Baha'i history, the equality of women and men, feminist approaches to religious studies, and anyone who would like to be inspired by a good read. (Deborah van den Hoonaard, The Journal of Baha'i Studies 24.1-2, 2014)

Author Information

Lynn Echevarria is the Coordinator and Instructor for the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Yukon College, Canada, and holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Essex, United Kingdom. She has a long-time research interest and involvement in women’s advancement, and more recently, men’s studies. Her publications include articles, reviews, a co-authored chapter in Lights of the Spirit: Historical Portraits of Black Bahá’ís in North America 1898-2000, and a chapter in Bahá’í and Globalisation. She has been the recipient of a Northern Research Institute grant and two Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) doctoral fellowships.

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