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Naked witness : a rhetorical analysis of two contradictory presentations of the women of Strong City

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Naked witness : a rhetorical analysis of two contradictory presentations of the women of Strong City

Campbell-Such, Julia (2010) Naked witness : a rhetorical analysis of two contradictory presentations of the women of Strong City. Masters thesis, Concordia University.

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Abstract

This thesis is a rhetorical analysis of two conflicting descriptions of the women who reside in a small New Mexico religious community called Strong City. The first half of the thesis treats a documentary film that was made about this group, called 'The End of the World Cult,' which presents the Strong City community as an abusive 'Cult,' and the women of that community as the brainwashed victims of a manipulative 'Cult' leader. The second half of this thesis presents a very different picture of these women by analyzing the group's own rhetoric that appeared on their website, Strongcity.info. According to their self-presentation, the women of Strong City do not see themselves as manipulated victims but as responsible agents. The purpose of this analysis is to complicate our understanding of these women and their religious context. My larger aim is to use the example of Strong City to talk about the reality of religious difference. This thesis investigates the possibility of talking about difference in a way that respects disagreements about values without abandoning our own critical, ethical perspective

Divisions:Concordia University > Faculty of Arts and Science > Religions and Cultures
Item Type:Thesis (Masters)
Authors:Campbell-Such, Julia
Pagination:iv, 170 leaves ; 29 cm.
Institution:Concordia University
Degree Name:M.A.
Program:Religion
Date:2010
Thesis Supervisor(s):Daniel-Hughes, C
Identification Number:LE 3 C66R45M 2010 C36
ID Code:979394
Deposited By: Concordia University Library
Deposited On:09 Dec 2014 17:58
Last Modified:13 Jul 2020 20:12
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