Cross Border Civilization: Hmong Protestants Propagation in Southeast Asia

Abstract

The previous studies on conversion to Christianity focused on propagation by non-ethnic missionaries. In addition, there are very few studies that emphasized on mechanisms of religious propagation, especially in the contemporary globalization context. Therefore, this study fulfills those two issues. The author argues that Christian propagation across borders by Hmong missionaries among Hmong people in Southeast Asia signifies civilization of the west. Also, they adopt various means, under globalization context, to propagate Christianity across borders into socialist countries of Laos, Vietnam, and China, despite the strict control of those countries' government on Christian propagation by foreigners. Details in this article are drawn from ethnographic fieldwork, interviews with key-informants, and observation on religious activities among Christian Hmong in upper mainland Southeast Asia region during the past two years. Moreover, the author did archival research and got information from websites.