Author Date

2024-03-15

Degree Name

Department

Comparative Arts and Letters

College

Humanities

Defense Date

2024-03-08

Publication Date

2024-03-15

First Faculty Advisor

Dr. Christopher Oscarson

First Faculty Reader

Dr. Julie Allen

Honors Coordinator

Dr. Michael Call

Keywords

immigration, sweden, mormon, nordstjärnan, church history, poetry

Abstract

This thesis investigates the Swedish-Mormon migration of the 19th century through the lens of Nordstjärnan, a periodical that served as a crucial link between the Swedish diaspora in Utah and their counterparts in Sweden during this era. This study compares Arnold Barton's observations of a love-hate relationship within the broader Swedish emigration to the diasporic relationship Swedish-Mormons had among themselves; suggesting that Nordstjärnan played a central role in portraying Swedish-Mormons as a symbiotic group compared to their countrymen. Nordstjärnan played this key role in reinforcing distinct Swedish-Mormon-American identity in both its positive reflection of the Swedish-Mormon identity and of immigration as a whole. This thesis utilizes Nordstjärnan as a primary source alongside key historical texts, contextualizing the Swedish-Mormon migration within broader immigration trends while highlighting the publication's role in facilitating dialogue, providing spiritual and practical guidance, and reinforcing communal bonds across the Atlantic. This investigation reveals that Nordstjärnan not only chronicled the migration experience but also served as a medium for maintaining Swedish cultural heritage and Mormon religious identity, supporting the community through its conversion to the Mormon faith and further, adaptation to life in America. The periodical's content, from emigration logistics and spiritual discourse to accounts of persecution and adaptation, reflects the multifaceted nature of the Swedish-Mormon experience. It also reflects Nordstjärnans propagandistic goals of portraying Utah and the Church in a positive light. This ultimately illustrates how faith, cultural identity, and migration narratives intersect to shape a unique community within the larger picture of American religious and immigrant history