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Amish scholars to speak at Westminster College

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Posted on Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Amish scholars from the College of Wooster will present insights and findings from their recent book, “Nature and the Environment in Amish Life,” during a hybrid lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in the Wallace Memorial Chapel at Westminster College and via Zoom.

Dr. David McConnell, professor of anthropology, and Dr. Marilyn Loveless, professor of biology emerita, will discuss Amish views and practices around farming, alternative medicine, wildlife, domesticated animals, nature and leisure and more.

“McConnell’s and Loveless’ research reflects solid interdisciplinary inquiry on less explored areas of life of our Amish neighbors. Their findings challenge simple assumptions and replace them with complex views, behaviors and outcomes,” said Dr. Kristin Park, professor of sociology at Westminster College.

McConnell has conducted fieldwork in Amish communities for over 15 years and has published articles on the changing face of Amish education, agriculture, and income and wealth distributions.

Loveless, an ecologist and plant population geneticist, has a long-standing interest in how humans interact with their environment and how belief systems influence human behavior toward the natural world.

This event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Sociology program, Alpha Kappa Delta Honorary Society and the Center for the Environment at Westminster College.

For more information or Zoom detail requests can be directed to Dr. Park at kpark@westminster.edu or 724-946-7251.