The Shakers were a celibate, mystical and communitarian sect led by Mother Ann Lee of Manchester, which flourished in the United States from the 1770s to the end of the nineteenth century. Their cultural influence far exceeded their statistical presence in American society. Aspects of utopian thought and behaviour, religious belief, gender relations, design and attitudes to war were all affected by Shakerism.

In this volume, leading American and British scholars from a range of disciplines identify the origins of the Shakers, indicate some of their characteristic ideas and practices, and outline affinities with other movements of the time and since. The collection both places the Shakers in their historical situation, and examines their continuing appeal.