Out of Place

"Out of Place challenges our thinking about serving a population that need services but do not conform to the capitalist commodity system. Both researchers and students will find this work to be a helpful addition to considering the complexity of social exclusion of religious groups desiring to remain outside mainstream culture." -- Mary Romero, School of Social Transformation, Arizona State University "The conclusion reached by Luann Good Gingrich in her book Out of Place is a powerful one. It is an important statement for policy makers and ordinary citizens alike, and a message that is not heard enough these days." -- Janis Thiessen, Department of History, University of Winnipeg "Luann Good Gingrich demonstrates a robust knowledge of social theory and literature on Mennonite migration between Ontario and Mexico. Her breadth and depth of knowledge of social theory, especially that of Wacquant and Bourdieu, are impressive." -- Timothy Epp, Department of Sociology, Redeemer University College

In Out of Place, Luann Good Gingrich explores social inclusion and exclusion in relation to the approximately 60,000 Low German-speaking Mennonites who have migrated from isolated agricultural colonies in Latin America to rural areas of Canada

The flow of migrants from south to north and east to west carries with it growing concerns about the economic integration, political incorporation, and social inclusion of newcomers and their children. But what happens when a group of people deliberately excludes themselves from mainstream society? How can social policies, human services, and communities best understand and respond to them?

In Out of Place, Luann Good Gingrich explores social inclusion and exclusion in relation to the approximately 60,000 Low German-speaking Mennonites who have migrated from traditionally self-sufficient and agrarian colonies in Latin America to rural areas of Canada. By examining the free-market principles that organize the human services industry the author exposes the inherent conflict that arises when this “market logic” is imposed on a group that does not embrace these ideals. The author’s innovative approach to social policy and human services which emphasizes the relationship between dominant and subordinate cultures, encourages us to find new ways to authentically engage with difference and bridge the gaps that divide us.