Association for Spanish and Portuguese Mormon Studies

The 2007 Mormon History Association conference has 6 presentations focused on Mormonism in Latin American countries. Six! That’s the most I can remember from any previous conference. Plus, there are other sessions addressing international church issues relevant to Mormonism within Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries. And, of course, there’s the inaugural meeting of the Association of Spanish and Portuguese Mormons Studies.

From the preliminary conference program, here are the sessions most directly related to Spanish and Portuguese Mormon Studies. The conference program itself can be found here.

Friday, May 25th
1B. From Regional Subculture to Global Religion: The Sociology of Latter-day Saint Expansion (program page 15, Fri. 10-11:30 am session)

“The Mormons of the World: The Meaning of LDS Membership in Central America”
Henri Gooren, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
“Growth, Retention, and Internationalization in the Twenty First Century Church”
David G. Stewart Jr., M.D.
“’That Sociality’: Mormons and Globalization in the Twenty First Century”
Sarah Busse Spencer, The College of New Jersey

1.G (program page 16, Fri. 10-11:30 am session)
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Lamanite Conventions”
Fernando R. Gomez, Museo de Historia del Mormonismo en Mexico, A.C.

Saturday, May 26th
4E The International Church: LDS Growth and Exiting
(program page 21, Sat. 10-11:30 am session)

“Latter-day Saints under Siege: The Unique Experience of Nicaraguan Mormons”
Henri Gooren, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

“Anglo Encounters Then and Today: Reading Parley P. Pratt from a Latin Americanist Perspective”
David C. Knowlton, Utah Valley State College

“Patterns of LDS Leave-Taking in Europe”
Walter E. A. van Beek, African Studies Centre, Leiden, Netherlands

4G (program page 21, Sat. 10-11:30 am session)
“Personal Heritage and Travel to the Mormon Colonies of Mexico”
Kevin Schmidt and Dallen J. Timothy, School of Community Resources and
Development, Arizona State University

5.f (page 23, Sat. 2-3:30 pm session)
“Were They Targets?: Mormon Responses to Violent Guerilla Attacks in Late Twentieth-Century Latin America”
David C. Knowlton, Utah Valley State College

Que les disfruten!