The Unexpected Outcomes of Peace – Dr. Jennifer Graber

Visiting Scholar Talk at Haverford College

Chase Auditorium, Chase Hall

Visiting Scholar Dr. Jennifer Graber will discuss her research on 19th century Quaker mediation between Native Americans and the Federal Government. The talk is titled “The Unexpected Outcomes of Peace,” and will begin at 4:30 immediately following a 4:15 tea reception.

Dr. Graber is Professor of Religious Studies and Affiliate Faculty in Native American and Indigenous Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the author of Furnace of Affliction: Prisons and Religion in Antebellum America (2011) and The Gods of Indian Country (2018).

About the Talk

In the 1860s and 1870s, American Quakers invoked their commitment to peace as qualification for their service as intermediaries between Native Americans and the federal government. “The Unexpected Outcomes of Peace” explores how members of the Society of Friends sought to avert war, settle the continent, and bring about Indian inclusion through their work on reservations across the American West.

During this period, Quakers developed an understanding of themselves as “the Indian’s friend.” This perception had real effects. While Quaker activity in Indian lands certainly transformed Native lives, the experience also affected the Society. This talk considers how Quakers navigated unforeseen religious encounters and moral dilemmas with an eye toward contemporary conversations about struggles for justice and the role of allies.

Campus Map with Event Location

https://www.haverford.edu/campus-map/239897

Public parking is available in designated visitor parking lots.