Thinking with missionaries : discourses of difference in India and southern Africa, c. 1840-1895
This thesis explores the construction of difference in colonial discourse through the lens of the London Missionary Society c. 1840-1895. Writings produced by missionaries to India and southern Africa are used to explore the varied construction of difference across colonial sites. The central argument is that the missionary commitment to human universalism was mediated through understandings of cultural, gender, and racial difference. The thesis is structured around three important themes in missionary writing. Part one, 'Families and Households', examines the relationship between gendered domesticity and 'civilisation'. It discusses the idealisation of the missionary family, the denigration of indigenous 'home life' and the ambiguities posed to such a division by colonial experiences â from inter-racial sexuality to domestic service. Part two, 'Sickness and the Embodiment of Difference', considers the embodiment of difference in missionary thinking. It argues that metaphors evoking sickness were used to pathologise 'heathenism', and explores how medical missionaries drew on the shared language of spiritual and bodily sickness to position themselves as 'healers' to 'needy' Africans and Indians. Given this
Cleall, E. R.
Thinking with missionaries : discourses of difference in India and southern Africa, c. 1840-1895. This thesis explores the construction of difference in colonial discourse through the lens of the London Missionary Society c. 1840-1895. Writings produced by missionaries to India and southern Africa are used to explore the varied construction of difference across colonial sites. The central argument is that the missionary commitment to human universalism was mediated through understandings of cultural, gender, and racial difference. The thesis is structured around three important themes in missionary writing. Part one, 'Families and Households', examines the relationship between gendered domesticity and 'civilisation'. It discusses the idealisation of the missionary family, the denigration of indigenous 'home life' and the ambiguities posed to such a division by colonial experiences â from inter-racial sexuality to domestic service. Part two, 'Sickness and the Embodiment of Difference', considers the embodiment of difference in missionary thinking. It argues that metaphors evoking sickness were used to pathologise 'heathenism', and explores how medical missionaries drew on the shared language of spiritual and bodily sickness to position themselves as 'healers' to 'needy' Africans and Indians. Given this
thinking missionary discourse difference india southern_africa explores construction difference colonial_discourse lens london_missionary_society writings produce missionary india southern_africa use explore varied construction difference across colonial site central_argument missionary commitment human universalism mediate understandings cultural gender racial difference structure_around important theme missionary writing part_one households examines_relationship gendered domesticity civilisation discus idealisation missionary family indigenous home life ambiguity pose division colonial experience inter racial sexuality domestic_service part_two sickness embodiment difference considers embodiment difference missionary thinking argues metaphor evoke sickness use explore medical missionary draw share language spiritual bodily sickness position africans indians given