En el Reino de Dios: Latinos at the Borders of Identity in the LDS Church

Abstract

This project traces the intellectual and historical trajectories of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) in Latin America and theorizes the possibility of a Latino/a/x Latter-day Saint subjectivity in the 21st century. By looking at the field of Mormon Studies as a form of Orientalism, En el Reino de Dios attempts to critique the limitations of the field as it objectifies the religious tradition and its global community while simultaneously being the space for the emergence of a subjective possibility beyond traditional views of Mormonism. From the historiography of Mormonism's earliest years in 19th century Latin America, to more contemporary readings of the "I'm a Mormon/Soy Mormón" ad campaign in the 2010s and LDS Narco Novels, En el Reino de Dios offers a potential theoretical foundation for exploring Latino/a/x Latter-day Saint identity through cultural production in the coming century.