Review: Modern Polygamy in the United States: Historical, Cultural, and Legal Issues

Modern Polygamy, "primarily about the Federal raid on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) ... is a collection of essays written by historians, anthropologists, and sociologists familiar with the FLDS and various other polygamous groups.  ... [It is] predominately sympathetic of the polygamous life-style .... [providing] an insider's perspective."

Title: Modern Polygamy in the United States: Historical, Cultural, and Legal Issues
Author: Edited by Cardell K. Jacobson with Lara Burton

Publisher: Oxford University Press
Genre: Nonfiction
Year Published: 2011
Number of Pages: 384
Binding: Cloth
ISBN: 978-0-19-974637-8

Price: $99.00

Reviewed by Vickie Cleverley Speek for the Association for Mormon Letters

I've been studying polygamy in Mormon history for many years, and I've often wondered about current-day plural marriage in the United States, especially among other religions and ethnic groups. Hence, I was extremely interested in reading "Modern Polygamy in the United States: Historical, Cultural, and Legal Issues."

Since Oxford University is the publisher, instead of an LDS press, I figured the book would give me information about the estimated 30,000 to 50,000 Mormons, Muslims and others who practice polygamy in the U.S. today.

Surprise! "Modern Polygamy in the United States" (while an outstanding study) is—in my opinion—seriously mistitled. The book is primarily about the Federal raid on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) at Eldorado, Texas. 

On April 3, 2008, agents surrounded the Yearning for Zion ranch and took custody of more than 400 children. Texas officials justified the raid based on charges that children at the compound were being abused and that underage marriages were being forced on young women. A year later, all but one of the children had been returned to their parents.

Based on evidence gathered in the raid, a dozen church members, including the FLDS prophet, Warren Jeffs, were subsequently charged with offenses that included sexual assault and bigamy. By July 2011, seven of the twelve had been convicted and Jeffs was on trial. He faces bigamy and sexual assault charges in two alleged underage spiritual marriages. 

This book is a collection of essays written by historians, anthropologists, and sociologists familiar with the FLDS and various other polygamous groups (with foundations in Mormonism) located primarily in the western part of the United States. The articles are predominately sympathetic of the polygamous life-style. Several of the authors have personal access to the polygamous groups, and have provided an insider's perspective.

The book is divided into three parts. Section one discusses the historical and cultural background of the various polygamous groups and contains essays by Martha Sonntag Bradley; Heber B. Hammon and William Jankowiak; Ken Driggs; Janet Bennion; and Kathryn Daynes.

Section two, which examines the social aspects of polygamy and the seizure of the FLDS children, contains essays by social scientists Tim B. Heaton and Cardell K. Jacobson; Janet Bennion; Carrie A. Miles; Ryan T. Cragun and Michael Nielsen; Gary Shepherd and Gordon Shepherd; and Arland Thornton.

Section three contains just two essays: an interesting look at the intricacies and ethics of parental genetic testing by Deborah L. Cragun and Ryan T. Cragun; and an examination of child protection law and the FLDS raid in Texas by Linda F. Smith.

All the articles are well written and interesting, but my personal favorite was a comparison by Gary Shepherd and Gordon Shepherd of three different religious groups. The FLDS, the Family International, and the Branch Davidians were all raided by government authorities who claimed that children in the organizations were being abused. While well intended, the raids ultimately had a disastrous effect on the children.

"Modern Polygamy in the United States" is an outstanding book. Together, these authors provide a much-needed understanding of the surprisingly large number of groups and individuals who live the polygamous life style in the United States. I just wish it had a different title.