The Amish: Shunned

The Amish movingly explored one of the most mysterious and successful examples of community in the United States. Now, this follow-up programme queries the cost of that community. To those who choose to join the church and live Amish, the community provides a welcoming home and an extended family of support. But to those who leave, the door of the community is often slammed shut. Once insulated from the outside world, former members suddenly find themselves struggling to understand and survive in modern American culture. The Amish believe that shunning the individual is the necessary cost of preserving the community. But is shunning, a concept so foreign and seemingly harsh to outsiders, worth the cost? And do those who leave find modern America worth the price?