31st Annual Student Research Conference
Amish Reality TV: A Thematic Assessment
Caitlyn V. Lee
Dr. Cory Anderson, Faculty Mentor
To more accurately portray the Amish and other religious subcultures in the media, the common themes through which these individuals are seen should be examined. This research on recurring themes in reality-based TV programs that center on the Amish is a first step towards uncovering larger themes of the popular cultural perception of the Amish. Using quantitative content analysis, key theme trends from selected seasons of Amish Mafia, Amish out of Order, and Breaking Amish are identified. The top three occurring themes assessed were internal conflict within the Amish, religious hypocrisy, and tension between the Amish and the outside world.
Keywords: Amish, Reality Television, Popular Culture, Subcultures, Content Analysis, Thematic Assesment, Anabaptist, Mennonite
Topic(s):Sociology
Anthropology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 8-9
Location: GEO - SUB
Time: 3:30