Vocational Shift among the Amish Essay Example

change is inherent in the Amish tradition, the community strives to manage the nature and scope of change to preserve their code of beliefs and practices. According to Landing, the Amish may reject acquiescence to their surroundings, but they do experience controlled and gradual change that has minimal influence on their customs (as cited in Lowery & Noble, 2000, p. 2). This alternative interpretation acknowledges the Amish community's adaptation, albeit implicitly, that is under their jurisdiction concerning its degree and pace.

According to some perspectives, the Amish community is responsible for initiating and leading change, with the change process being mainly internal. When it comes to changes in their work, this view posits that it is a deliberate action by the Amish community, something they have control over. However, other perspectives recognize that external factors beyond the community's control may also play a role in change. One such viewpoint was put forth by Ericksen, Ericksen and Hostetler (1980), who identified external pressures as emerging both from outside the community (such as economic, political, social and technological developments) and from within the community due to their adherence to a traditional lifestyle over many years.

According to Kreps, Donnermeyer and Kreps (1994), the Amish community is considered a subculture, connected to the wider culture. This implies that there may be varying degrees of pressure for change from external sources that could impact the Amish culture. When it comes to changes in vocation, both internal and external pressures are recognized as having an effect on the importance placed on different vocations beyond agriculture. It is now accepted that the Amish community does adapt to change, although with some resistance. Theodorson

and Theodorson describe adaptation as a way for a group to adjust facets of their culture to survive in their physical environment (cited in Stoltzfus, 1973, p. 196).

According to Lowery and Noble (2000), for the Amish community to survive, they must adapt to their environment by developing effective agricultural techniques and responding to both internal and external pressures. Foster (1984) explains that vocational education and agriculture are closely tied to religious traditions, and shift in vocations is strongly influenced by survival. Factors that influence vocational shift stem from both within and outside the community. The long-term impact of practices and traditions creates internal pressures, while external pressures come from the wider community. Donnermeyer and Cooksey (2004) have identified a number of internal factors that play a role in the vocational shift among the Amish.

Community expansion or population growth is one of the internal pressures faced by the Amish. In the 19th century, massive immigration from Europe seeking land for the traditional Amish lifestyle caused rapid community expansion. Cohesive communities were established in the 20th century through effective strategies and high fertility rates, leading to population growth and community expansion. However, with a growing population and limited land, economic self-sufficiency became an issue. Although agricultural methods improved to ease population growth pressure, it remains a significant concern and some community members consider vocational alternatives for survival.

High retention rates within the Amish religious community are driven by several internal pressures, such as an aversion towards free riders. This is due to strict religious practices that prohibit members from taking advantage of each other. Additionally, high retention rates are partly due to internal pressures for vocational shift as

a result of community expansion. The Amish community's beliefs and practices also contribute to these internal pressures. Kraybill and Nolt (1995) identified external pressures, such as encroaching urbanism and population growth, which also affect vocational change in the wider community.

As the wider community undergoes growth and development, there is an increasing conversion of land into urban residential and commercial centers. This scarcity of agricultural land results in an upward drive of land prices, making it more difficult for the Amish community to acquire lands to cater to the growing population. Lowery and Noble (2000) state that the Amish community strives to cope with population growth by purchasing land for their married children to settle either near the community or even in another state or country. Unfortunately, due to the functioning of the supply and demand mechanism, the declining availability of land and rising land prices have led to the Amish community competing with the wider community over land ownership.

The Amish community faces two interrelated challenges in vocational change. Firstly, due to the limited flexibility of the real estate sector, the community is compelled to compete in accordance with market terms. Consequently, it is imperative that alternative economic sectors are developed to generate adequate revenue for purchasing agricultural land. Secondly, the scarcity of agricultural land necessitates a vocational shift in order to secure the community's economic self-sufficiency. Despite this, Foster (1984) and Lowery and Noble (2000) have observed a strong resistance to vocational change stemming from a desire to preserve social integration and adhere to old traditions that prioritize an agriculture-based economy and educational seclusion. Kraybill has identified one manifestation of this resistance as the 'lunch

pail threat.'

The intergenerational transmission of agricultural knowledge in Amish communities depends on the interaction between fathers, who provide for their families through crop and livestock production, and their children, particularly sons. However, if fathers transition to different vocations, the longstanding custom of fathers returning home for lunch will fade, limiting the transfer of agricultural values (Kreps, Donnermeyer & Kreps, 1994, p. 708). While some community members are exploring alternative professions for financial sustainability (Ediger, 2005), resistance to change creates a tension between preserving traditions and pursuing new vocational opportunities within the Amish community.