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Searching for May Maxwell : Bahá’í millennial feminism, transformative identity & globalism in the new world order

dc.contributor.advisorKorinek, Valerie J.en_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberBiggs, Lesleyen_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberKent, Christopheren_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberMeyers, Marken_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberBeardsall, Sandraen_US
dc.creatorCrosson, Selenaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2013-08-22T12:00:11Z
dc.date.available2013-08-22T12:00:11Z
dc.date.created2013-10en_US
dc.date.issued2013-08-21en_US
dc.date.submittedOctober 2013en_US
dc.description.abstractThis dissertation demonstrates that a group of western women connected to May Maxwell through ties of faith and friendship exemplified a distinct form of early twentieth-century feminism in their adoption and promotion of the transplanted Bahá’í Faith. In actualizing their doctrinal principles, they worked to inaugurate a millennial new World Order predicated on the spiritual and social equality of women. This group championed a unique organizational structure and transnational perspective that propelled them to female leadership, both as inspirational models and agents of practical change. By examining how Bahá’í doctrines shaped the beliefs, mythologies, relationships and reform goals of women, this dissertation broadens understandings of the ways in which religion can act as a vehicle for female empowerment and transformative identity. Together, western early Bahá’í women built individual and collective capacity, challenging gender prescriptions and social norms. Their millennial worldview advocated a key role for women in shaping nascent Bahá’í culture, and initiating personal, institutional, and societal change. Their inclusive collaborative organizational style, non-western origins and leadership, diverse membership, and global locus of activity, made them one of the first groups to establish and sustain a transnational feminist reform network. Although in some respects this group resembled other religious, feminist, and reform-oriented women, identifiably “Bahá’í” features of their ideology, methodologies, and reform activities made them distinctive. This research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the role of women in the creation of modern religious and social mythologies and paradigms. A study of Bahá’í millennial religious feminism also expands current conceptions of the boundaries, diversities, and intersections of early twentieth-century western millennial, feminist, religious, and transnational reform movements.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10388/ETD-2013-10-1145en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.subject‘Abdu’l Baháen_US
dc.subjectanti-racismen_US
dc.subjectCanadaen_US
dc.subjectcommunityen_US
dc.subjectearly twentieth centuryen_US
dc.subjectEsperantoen_US
dc.subjecteducationen_US
dc.subjectfaithen_US
dc.subjectfemale friendshipen_US
dc.subjectfirst-waveen_US
dc.subjectFranceen_US
dc.subjecthistoryen_US
dc.subjectIranen_US
dc.subjectMontrealen_US
dc.subjectmythen_US
dc.subjectOrientalen_US
dc.subjectPersiaen_US
dc.subjectreligionen_US
dc.subjectAmatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánumen_US
dc.subjectShoghi Effendien_US
dc.subjectsocial reformen_US
dc.subjecttransnationalen_US
dc.subjectwomenen_US
dc.titleSearching for May Maxwell : Bahá’í millennial feminism, transformative identity & globalism in the new world orderen_US
dc.type.genreThesisen_US
dc.type.materialtexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentHistoryen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineHistoryen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Saskatchewanen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)en_US

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