ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role and representation of religion in urban captivity narratives, connecting these to xenophobic fears of the religious Other in the wake of 9/11. Given that emerging literary genres reflect shifting social and political concerns, and the reality that many of these books devote considerable attention to religion, prayer, and piety, the intersection between faith, citizenship, and violence against women is a controversial topic in the discursive landscape after 9/11. While many urban captivity narratives discuss religion to some extent, this chapter will pay special attention to memoirs about Elizabeth Smart’s 2002 abduction. This chapter builds from the longstanding links between anti-Mormon panic and Islamophobia in the United States, and argues urban captivity narratives reinforce dominant institutional beliefs surrounding which religious practices and beliefs situate some American citizens as valuable and meriting protection, while casting others outside of the realm of American exceptionalism.
