Surviving for over five hundred years, the Hutterites have created the world’s most successful communal society.

In the past, the colony was an "ark," isolated from the secular world and from the society which surrounded it. Today, Hutterite colonies face challenges from globalization and the advent of new technologies. A recent reality TV show and an inflammatory book by former members have brought an unwelcome spotlight to the community.

Inside the Ark presents quite a different picture from these sensational offerings. As the authors note in this new edition, "it is easy to find fault with any social organization, less easy to analyze it from a dispassionate standpoint." In this award-winning book, they offer a thoughtful and thorough analysis of Hutterite society and seek to understand a complex and often misunderstood community.

Yossi Katz is a full professor in Geography at Bar-Ilan University, Israel, and holds the Chair for the Study of the History and Activities of the Jewish National Fund.

Yossi Katz's profile page

John Lehr is a senior scholar in the Geography Department at the University of Winnipeg.

John Lehr's profile page

"Essential reading for a current understanding of Hutterite beliefs and practices." -Manitoba History

"A valuable new contribution to understanding Hutterite communities." -Journal of Mennonite Studies