Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Drawing upon social theory, this paper considers the functions that horses serve in conservative Old Order Mennonite communities. Three key functions are identified. Two of these functions are symbolic in character, while the third is identifiable as economic. The available evidence suggests that conservative Mennonite communities strive to channel the entrepreneurial behavior of their members into collective enterprises. The paper details the networks of transportation that bind the members of these communities together and guide their efforts to achieve collective entrepreneurship. The sample photographs appearing at the end of the paper illustrate key points about "horse-and-buggy" Mennonites.