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Notre Dame Professor to Speak at Forum Feb. 25
University of Notre Dame Professor Patrick Q. Mason will give a forum address based on his recent book, “The Mormon Menace: Violence and Anti-Mormonism in the Postbellum South,” Friday, Feb. 25, at 11 a.m. in the Stoddard Center.
Mason is a research associate professor and associate director for research of contending modernities at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame. From 2007–2009 he was assistant professor of history and associate director of the Center for American Studies at the American University in Cairo. He has published articles on topics including anti-Jewish violence in the American South, the history of state legislation against interracial marriage, the role of religion in the African American protest tradition, and the possibilities of Mormon peace building.
He is on the board of directors for “Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought,” and has articles coming out this year on the murder of Parley Pratt and the concept of “theodemocracy” in 19th century Mormonism.
Mason received a master’s degree from the Kroc Institute and a doctorate in history from Notre Dame. He wrote his dissertation on violence against religious minorities in the late 19th century American South.
Despite his mother’s protestations that he would never meet a “good Mormon girl” at Notre Dame, he did meet his wife, Melissa. Melissa joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after her freshmen year at Notre Dame; they met at church. Together they are the parents of a three-year old boy and one-year-old twins, one boy and one girl.
Mason has held numerous church callings, from early morning seminary teacher to elder’s quorum president. He served a full-time mission for The Church in Seattle, Wash.
Community members and Southern Virginia faculty, staff and students are invited to hear forum and devotional speakers each Friday morning at 11 a.m. in the Stoddard Center. Recordings of past forum and devotional speeches may be accessed online.