Cory Anderson, Ph.D.: Sociologist / Amish & Mennonite Scholar

Beyond ‘Leave Us Alone’: Plain People and the Two-Way Street of Religious Liberty

Amish are often characterized as wanting nothing more than to be “left alone” by government authorities. Yet, from buggy electrification laws pushed by some Amish against others to Amish segregated public school buildings, some plain people actively shape government action

01/11/2025

Ohio Legislature’s Late-Night Rider Proposes Fees for Requesting Police Body Cam Footage under Ohio’s Public Records Act

In the pre-dawn hours between December 19 and 20, Ohio legislators attached a consequential rider to a bill, establishing fees ranging from $75 to $750 for body camera footage requests. The governor has not signed the legislation, but its inclusion

12/20/2024

Flashing Lights and Flickering Rights:
Recent Religious Infringement Injunction Ruling, with Critical Insights for Public Officials

For over two years, Ohio law enforcement has issued citations to Amish individuals—almost entirely Swartzentruber Amish—who religiously object to electrifying their buggies with flashing yellow lights. The citation count well exceeds 200. Six Swartzentrubers have served jail time while others

11/28/2024