List of cult and new religious movement researchers

This list includes people that have research

Research

Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...

ed cult

Cult

The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...

s and/or new religious movements. They are listed below according to their academic background, area of research, or profession.

List

Lifetime	Nationality	Field	Notes
1899-1983	United States	Anthropology	Fauset was a noted civil rights activist, anthropologist, folklorist, and educator. He belonged to the Philadelphia Anthropology Society, the American Anthropological Association, and the American Folklore Society. Elsie Clews Parsons supported him throughout his career in anthropology and with her support Fauset published his Ph. D. on Negro cults of Philadelphia, New York and Chicago, Black Gods of the Metropolis in 1944.
	United States	Anthropology	Galanti is a faculty member in the anthropology department and Statewide Nursing Program at California State University California State University The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the... . Her research has focused on the areas of cults and deprogramming. Galanti has published research in the Cultic Studies Journal on the subject of deprogramming and conversion. She is the author of Caring for Patients from Different Cultures, published by University of Pennsylvania Press University of Pennsylvania Press The University of Pennsylvania Press is a university press affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... .
	United States	Anthropology	Glazier is a member of the Graduate Faculty in Anthropology at the University of Nebraska; where he teaches classes in anthropology, race and minority relations, and sociology of religion. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in Trinidad Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in... which focused on Caribbean religions such as Rastafari, Vodoun, and the Spiritual Baptists. He has served as president of the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness and secretary of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Society for the Scientific Study of Religion The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion was formed to advance research in the social scientific perspective on religious institutions and experiences.-Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion:... .
1934	United States	Anthropology	Kehoe was a Professor of Anthropology at University of Nebraska at Lincoln and Marquette University Marquette University Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities... , and the author of several books on new religious movements among Native American Indigenous peoples of the Americas The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans... peoples, including the Ghost Dance Ghost Dance The Ghost Dance was a new religious movement which was incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. The traditional ritual used in the Ghost Dance, the circle dance, has been used by many Native Americans since prehistoric times... .
1941	England	Anthropology	Poewe is an anthropologist Anthropology Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German... and historian Historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is... . She is the author of ten academic books and fifty peer reviewed articles in international journals. Currently Poewe is Professor Emeritus in Anthropology at the University of Calgary University of Calgary The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently... , Calgary, Alberta, Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... and Adjunct Research Professor at Liverpool Hope University Liverpool Hope University Liverpool Hope University is a university in Liverpool, England. Two of its three founding colleges were established in 1844 and 1856, the third opening in the 1960s. It is the only ecumenical university in Europe. Based on two campuses, the main campus is located in Childwall and the second... , Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... . She is married to Irving Hexham Irving Hexham Irving Hexham is a Canadian academic and writer who has published twenty-three books and numerous articles, chapters, and book reviews in respected academic journals. Currently, he is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, married to Dr... . Poewe and Hexham co-authored Understanding Cults and New Religions (1986) and New Religions as Global Cultures (1997).
	United States	Communications	Conway did her Master's Degree work at the University of New Mexico University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution... , and obtained her Ph.D. Ph.D. A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British groupPiled Higher and Deeper, a web comic stripPhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer... from the University of Oregon University of Oregon -Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :... ; she began an interdisciplinary programs in communications at the University of Oregon. With Jim Siegelman, she authored a 1978 study on effects of cults, titled Snapping. Subsequently published again with Siegelman along with Carl W. Carmichael and John Coggins, in Update: A Journal of New Religious Movements.
1935-	United States	History	Alexander, a professor of History at Brigham Young University Brigham Young University Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students... , is the author of many scholarly books and articles on the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
1948-	United States	History	Butler is an historian of religion. He worked as an associate professor of church history at Loma Linda University Loma Linda University Loma Linda University is a Seventh-day Adventist coeducational health sciences university located in Loma Linda, California, United States. The University comprises eight schools and the Faculty of Graduate Studies... in California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... , and also taught at Union College Union College (Nebraska) Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska is a four-year coeducational college owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Midwest. It opened in 1891.T.R.M... in Nebraska Nebraska Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River.... . He was co-editor of the magazine Adventist Heritage. He authored an article in 1979 claiming Ellen White's endtime scenario was culturally conditioned to the point of being more at place in her time than now.
	France	History	Chantin is a French historian, associated with the University of Lyon University of Lyon The University of Lyon , located in Lyon and Saint Etienne, France, is a center for higher education and research comprising 16 institutions of higher education... . He specializes in the history of religion in France, including the Catholic Church and the role of new religious movements. In 1998 his study of Jansenism Jansenism Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638... was published by the University of Lyon. In 2001 he was the chief editor of Dictionary of the religious world in contemporary France, published by Editions Beauchesne. In 2004 he published a 157 page study on French sects from 1905 to 2000, asking: " disputes or religious innovations?"
1958–	Sweden	History	Hammer is a Professor of History of Religion at the University of Southern Denmark University of Southern Denmark The University of Southern Denmark, with campuses located in the southwestern part of Denmark - i.e. Funen, Southern Jutland and Sealand - is a research and educational institution with deep regional roots and an international outlook. Reaching even further south, the university offers a number of... in Odense Odense The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen... , with a research focus on the application of critical theory Critical theory Critical theory is an examination and critique of society and culture, drawing from knowledge across the social sciences and humanities. The term has two different meanings with different origins and histories: one originating in sociology and the other in literary criticism... in the context of religious change and innovation.
1953-	England	History	Hutton is an English historian. Educated at Cambridge Cambridge The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the... and Oxford Oxford The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through... , he taught history at the University of Bristol University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is... in the 1980s. He has written influential books on Neopaganism Neopaganism Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe... , Wicca Wicca Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."... , and related topics.
1957–	Switzerland	History	Mayer is a religious historian and Director of the Institute Religioscope. He has a doctorate degree in History at the Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 is a French public university, based in Lyon. It is under the supervision of the Academy of Lyon... (1984). From 1991 to 1998, he worked as an analyst on international affairs and policy for the Swiss federal government. In 1999, he founded a firm of strategic researches named JFM Recherches et Analyses, and taught at the University of Freiburg from 1999 to 2007. In 2007, Mayer founded the Institute Religioscope and became the director. He contributed in the writing of several magazines, including Politica Hermetica, Religioscope and Religion Watch. His writing focuses on contemporary religious movements and cults, including Islam, Unification Church Unification Church The Unification Church is a new religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. In 1954, the Unification Church was formally and legally established in Seoul, South Korea, as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity . In 1994, Moon gave the church... , the Church of Scientology Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and... , the Order of the Solar Temple Order of the Solar Temple The Order of the Solar Temple also known as Ordre du Temple Solaire in French, and the International Chivalric Organization of the Solar Tradition or simply as The Solar Temple was a secret society based upon the modern myth of the continuing existence of the Knights Templar... and the Pilgrims of Arès Pilgrims of Arès The Pilgrims of Arès is the name of a new religious movement founded in 1974 and whose founder was Michel Potay. It was named after the town of Arès, Gironde, where Michel Potay would have received revelations. Beliefs and practices are based on the Revelation of Arès, written by Potay.-Members and... .
	Denmark	History	Rothstein is an associate professor of religious history at the University of Copenhagen University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the... , Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... . In 2002 he was on the board of the Danish Association for the History of Religions (DAHR) and the editorial boards of the publications Renner Studies on New Religions (Aarhus University Press) and Nye Religioner (Gyldendal). He is the author of several books on religious history and especially on the role of new religious movements, among them: Belief Transformations: Some Aspects of the Relation between Science and Religion in Transcendental Meditation (TM) and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) (1996), Secular Theories on Religion: Current Perspectives (2000) (co-author with Tim Jensen), New Age Religion and Globalization (2002), and New Religions in a Postmodern World (2003) (co-editor with Reender Kranenborg)
1946–1980	Scotland	History	James Charles Napier Webb was an historian and biographer. He was born in Edinburgh, was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge. He is remembered primarily for two works The Occult Underground and The Occult Establishment. Webb traced the influence of occult and mystical groups and writers on literature, philosophy and politics.
	Scotland	Jurisprudence	Munro is a legal scholar and author. He received his PhD from the Department of Law, School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London University of London -20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the... . He has written on new religious movements in China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... , including Falun Gong Falun Gong Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline first introduced in China in 1992 by its founder, Li Hongzhi, through public lectures. It combines the practice of meditation and slow-moving qigong exercises with the moral philosophy... and syncretic sects Syncretism Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word... and secret societies.
1914-2010	United States	Mathematics	Gardner was an American mathematics and science author. He wrote the Mathematical Games column in Scientific American Scientific American Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics... from 1956 to 1981 and the Notes of a Fringe-Watcher column in Skeptical Inquirer Skeptical Inquirer The Skeptical Inquirer is a bimonthly American magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry with the subtitle: The magazine for science and reason.... from 1983 to 2002 and published over 70 books. He wrote on various new religious movements, including Scientology and Urantia (the topic of his 1995 book published by Prometheus Books Prometheus Books Prometheus Books is a publishing company founded in August 1969 by Paul Kurtz, who also founded the Council for Secular Humanism and co-founded the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He is currently the chairman of all three organizations. Prometheus Books publishes a range of books, including many... ).
	United States	Media and Religion	Winston is a professor of Media and Religion at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California University of Southern California The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university... , and an author. USC lists her current research interests as media coverage of Islam, religion and new media, and the place of religion in American identity. She received her B.A. from Brandeis Brandeis Brandeis may refer to:* Louis Brandeis, U.S. Supreme Court Justice* Things named for Louis Brandeis: Brandeis Brief, a 1908 document written by Brandeis as a litigator Brandeis University, in Massachusetts, USA... , a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School Harvard Divinity School Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public... , a masters in journalism from Columbia Columbia Columbia may refer to:-Places:* Columbia , a poetic name for the Americas, and the feminine personification of the United States of America* District of Columbia, the federal district in which the capital of the United States is located... , and her Ph.D. in religion from Princeton University Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution.... . She has extensively studied the history of the Salvation Army Salvation Army The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries.... .
1935–	United States	Medicine	Lottick is a medical doctor who has performed research in the area of assessing knowledge regarding cults by physician Physician A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments... s, and psychologist Psychologist Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college... s.
	United States	Philosophy	Lewis, a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin, has been a prolific author and editor of books on new religious movements such as The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements (2004); he also edits the Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion series and is co-editor of Ashgate's Controversial New Religions series.
1924-2009	United States	Philosophy	Sontag, an author and professor of Philosophy at Pomona College Pomona College Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member... , was considered an expert on the Unification Church Unification Church The Unification Church is a new religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. In 1954, the Unification Church was formally and legally established in Seoul, South Korea, as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity . In 1994, Moon gave the church... . In the 1970s he interviewed church founder Sun Myung Moon Sun Myung Moon Sun Myung Moon is the Korean founder and leader of the worldwide Unification Church. He is also the founder of many other organizations and projects... and church members in Europe, America, and Asia while researching for a book published in 1977.
	United States	Political Science	Barkun is professor emeritus of political science Political science Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior... at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is the public policy school of Syracuse University... , Syracuse University Syracuse University Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College... , specializing in political extremism and the relationship between religion and violence Religious violence Religious violence is a term that covers all phenomena where religion, in any of its forms, is either the subject or object of violent behaviour. Religious violence is, specifically, violence that is motivated by or in reaction to religious precepts, texts or doctrines... . He is the author of a number of books on the subject, including Religion and The Racist Right: The Origins of the Christian Identity Movement (1996), A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America is a 2003 non-fiction book written by Michael Barkun, professor emeritus of political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs... (2003), and Chasing Phantoms: Reality, Imagination, and Homeland Security Since 9/11 (2011). He serves on the editorial boards of Terrorism and Political Violence and Nova Religio Nova Religio Nova Religio is a peer-reviewed religious studies journal that focuses on New Religious Movements. The journal is published by University of California Press, in Berkeley, California... , and was the editor of Communal Societies from 1987 to 1994.
	France	Political science	Liogier is the director of the Observatoire du religieux and a professor of universities at the Institut d'études politiques d'Aix-en-Provence Institut d'études politiques d'Aix-en-Provence The Institut d'études politiques d'Aix-en-Provence , also known as the Institut d'études politiques or "Sciences Po Aix", is a grande école in political sciences, established in 1956 in the premises of the former Faculty of Law of the Université de Provence, France... and the Institut de management public et de gouvernance territoriale. He co-authored several articles on the theme of religion. Liogier wrote his thesis on Buddhism Buddhism Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th... under the direction of Bruno Étienne Bruno Étienne Bruno Étienne was a French sociologist and a political analyst. He was a specialist of Algeria, Islam and anthropology of the religious fact.... , a professor at the Institut d'études politiques d'Aix-en-Provence, and has among other things published a book on secularism in 2006. He works particularly on the issues related to Islam Islam Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~... and cult Cult The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices... s. He has also criticized the "anti-sect" government agency MIVILUDES MIVILUDES MIVILUDES , a French government agency, has the task of:* observing and analyzing movements perceived as constituting a threat to public order or that violate French law*... .
1926–1999	United States	Psychiatry	Clark was a doctor and professor at Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.... . He authored an article on cults for the Journal of the American Medical Association Journal of the American Medical Association The Journal of the American Medical Association is a weekly, peer-reviewed, medical journal, published by the American Medical Association. Beginning in July 2011, the editor in chief will be Howard C. Bauchner, vice chairman of pediatrics at Boston University’s School of Medicine, replacing ... .
	United States	Psychiatry	Galanter is director of the division of alcoholism and drug abuse in the department of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine New York University School of Medicine The New York University School of Medicine is one of the graduate schools of New York University. Founded in 1841 as the University Medical College, the NYU School of Medicine is one of the foremost medical schools in the United States.... . He is the editor of Cults and New Religious Movements: A Report of the American Psychiatric Association, and author of Cults: Faith, Healing and Coercion Cults: Faith, Healing and Coercion Cults: Faith, Healing and Coercion is a non-fiction book on cults and coercive persuasion, written by Marc Galanter . The book was published in hardcover format in 1989 by Oxford University Press, and again in hardcover in 1999 in a second edition work... .
1934–2003	United States	Psychiatry	Halperin was a psychiatrist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine Mount Sinai School of Medicine Mount Sinai School of Medicine is an American medical school in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, currently ranked among the top 20 medical schools in the United States. It was chartered by Mount Sinai Hospital in 1963.... . His research into cults and cult recruitment was published in the behavioral science journal Group, and in the book Cults and New Religious Movements: A Report of the American Psychiatric Association.
1946–	United States	Psychiatry	Hochman is affiliated with UCLA Medical Center, where he is an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry. His research into the subject of cults has focused on indoctrination and therapeutic abuse, and has been published in academic journals including Psychiatric Annals, and Psychiatry.
1938–	Canada	Psychiatry	Levine is a professor of psychiatry in Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... . He has researched cults and deprogramming, with work published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, and the Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal.
1926–	United States	Psychiatry	Lifton is a psychiatrist who has focused his research in the area of coercive persuasion. He wrote an article on the creation of cults for The Harvard Mental Health Letter, and is the author of Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, and Destroying the World to Save It: Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism.
1941–	United States	Psychiatry	Olsson is a psychiatrist affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine, located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas, USA, is a highly regarded medical school and leading center for biomedical research and clinical care... , where he is on staff as adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry. He is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Dartmouth Medical School Dartmouth Medical School Dartmouth Medical School is the medical school of Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, in the United States. The fourth-oldest medical school in the United States, Dartmouth Medical School was founded in 1797 by New England physician Nathan Smith and grew steadily over the course... . In his research he has focused on the analysis of the framework and mindset of leaders of destructive cult Destructive cult A destructive cult is a religion or other group which has caused or has a high probability of causing harm to its own members or to others. Some researchers define "harm" in this case with a narrow focus, specifically groups which have deliberately physically injured or killed other individuals,... s and religious groups.
	United States	Psychiatry	Perry is a neuroscientist Neuroscientist A neuroscientist is an individual who studies the scientific field of neuroscience or any of its related sub-fields... at Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine, located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas, USA, is a highly regarded medical school and leading center for biomedical research and clinical care... . He serves as chief of psychiatry at Texas Children's Hospital Texas Children's Hospital Texas Children's Hospital is a pediatric hospital located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas.With 639 licensed beds and 465 beds in operation, Texas Children's is the largest children's hospital in the United States and is affiliated with the Baylor College of Medicine as that... . He sub-specializes within the field of child psychiatry and childhood trauma. His study has included the area of children exposed to traumatic incidents as members of the group Branch Davidians.
1924–1999	United States	Psychiatry	West was a psychiatrist affiliated with University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses... . He held positions of professor and chairman at the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA. He contributed research on cults to publications including the Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, and Cults and New Religious Movements: A Report of the American Psychiatric Association.
	United States	Psychology	Anthony holds a PhD PHD PHD may refer to:Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophyPh.D. , a 1980s British groupPHD finger, a protein sequencePHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer... from the Graduate Theological Union Graduate Theological Union The Graduate Theological Union ' is a consortium of nine independent theological schools, and eleven centers and affiliates. Eight of the theological schools are located in Berkeley, California. The GTU was founded in 1962. It maintains the Graduate Theological Union Library, one of the most... , Berkeley Berkeley, California Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington... , California and has supervised research at the Department of Psychiatry of the University of North Carolina University of North Carolina Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century... at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care... and at the Graduate Theological Union Graduate Theological Union The Graduate Theological Union ' is a consortium of nine independent theological schools, and eleven centers and affiliates. Eight of the theological schools are located in Berkeley, California. The GTU was founded in 1962. It maintains the Graduate Theological Union Library, one of the most... , Berkeley Berkeley, California Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington... . His research has been supported by agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health National Institute of Mental Health The National Institute of Mental Health is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health... , the National Institute of Drug Abuse and the National Endowment for the Humanities National Endowment for the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is located at... , and he has frequently testified or acted as a consultant in court cases involving NRMs. He has been a leading critic of brainwashing and mind control Mind control Mind control refers to a process in which a group or individual "systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator, often to the detriment of the person being manipulated"... theories and has defended NRMs, arguing that involvement in them has often been shown to have beneficial, rather than harmful effects.
	Israel	Psychology	Beit-Hallahmi graduated with a B.A. Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both... degree from Hebrew University, and received his M.A. Master of Arts (postgraduate) A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees... and Ph.D. Ph.D. A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British groupPiled Higher and Deeper, a web comic stripPhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer... from Michigan State University Michigan State University Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,... . He has served as Senior Lecturer in psychology at the University of Haifa University of Haifa The University of Haifa is a university in Haifa, Israel.The University of Haifa was founded in 1963 by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi, to operate under the academic auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.... , and has held faculty roles in clinical and research capacities at The University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution... , Hebrew University, Michigan State University, and Tel-Aviv University. Beit-Hallahmi is the author of Psychoanalysis and Religion: A Bibliography, and co-author of The Social Psychology of Religion; he edited Research in Religious Behavior. He has published scholarship analyzing practices within standards of researching new religious movements.
1954–2003	United States	Psychology	Chambers was a psychologist and faculty member in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Florida University of South Florida The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA... . In addition to the University of South Florida, Chambers worked as a research consultant in the area of statistics in Lindale, Georgia Lindale, Georgia Lindale is a census-designated place in Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the 'Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area'... , and served as a professor of psychology at Wright State University Wright State University Wright State University is a comprehensive public university with strong doctoral, research, and undergraduate programs, rated among the 260 Best National Universities listed in the annual "America's Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Wright State is located in Fairborn, Ohio,... , and Shorter College. Chambers performed research in the subject of group psychological abuse Group psychological abuse Group psychological abuse refers to groups where methods of psychological abuse are frequently or systematically used on their members. Such abuse would be practices that treat the members as objects one is free to manipulate instead of respecting their autonomy, human rights, identity and dignity... through development of the Group Psychological Abuse Scale with Michael D. Langone and Arthur A. Dole Arthur A. Dole Arthur A. Dole is a professor of psychology and education, at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education, Division of Psychology and Education... .
	Italy	Psychology	Di Marzio is a clinical psychologist. She is a member of the Editorial Board of the academic journal Academic journal An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research... , Cultic Studies Review Cultic Studies Review International Journal of Cultic Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the International Cultic Studies Association.- External links :* , Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle, Religion Writer, February 13, 2001... and is the director of the Sectes, Religion, Spirituality Counseling Center, in Rome, Italy.
	United States	Psychology	Dole is a professor of psychology and education, at the University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution... . He is a board member of the International Cultic Studies Association International Cultic Studies Association The International Cultic Studies Association , formerly the American Family Foundation, describes itself as an "interdisciplinary network of academicians, professionals, former group members, and families who study and educate the public about social-psychological influence and control,... 's board of directors and a member of the Editorial Review Board of the peer reviewed academic journal, the Cultic Studies Review Cultic Studies Review International Journal of Cultic Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the International Cultic Studies Association.- External links :* , Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle, Religion Writer, February 13, 2001... . He contributed a chapter to the comprehensive work The Psychology of Terrorism, Volume III: Theoretical Understandings and Perspectives. Responding directly to 9/11.
	United States	Psychology	Eichel is a psychologist Psychologist Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college... known primarily for his work on destructive cult Destructive cult A destructive cult is a religion or other group which has caused or has a high probability of causing harm to its own members or to others. Some researchers define "harm" in this case with a narrow focus, specifically groups which have deliberately physically injured or killed other individuals,... s, coercive persuasion, mind control Mind control Mind control refers to a process in which a group or individual "systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator, often to the detriment of the person being manipulated"... , brainwashing, and deprogramming Deprogramming Deprogramming refers to actions that attempt to force a person to abandon allegiance to a religious, political, economic, or social group. Methods and practices may involve kidnapping and coercion... . He is a former President of the Greater Philadelphia Society of Clinical Hypnosis and the 2006-07 President of the American Academy of Counseling Psychology, the national membership academy comprising American Board of Professional Psychology American Board of Professional Psychology The American Board of Professional Psychology was formed in 1947 and was originally known as the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology... (ABPP) Board-certified counseling psychologists.
	United States	Psychology	Kelley serves as dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences at Georgia State University Georgia State University Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities... and is a former professor of Nursing at Boston College Boston College Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early... . She is a recipient of the John G. Clark Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Cultic Studies for research into sexual abuse of children.
1947–	United States	Psychology	Langone is the Executive Director of the International Cultic Studies Association International Cultic Studies Association The International Cultic Studies Association , formerly the American Family Foundation, describes itself as an "interdisciplinary network of academicians, professionals, former group members, and families who study and educate the public about social-psychological influence and control,... and has written widely on alternative religious movements.
1946–2009	United States	Psychology	Martin was a psychologist and the founder and Executive Director of Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center is a residential counseling center specializing in the treatment of individuals who they evaluate as having suffered in abusive religious groups, cults, domestic violence, clergy and therapist abuse, and manipulative relationships involving mind-control,... . He consulted with several institutions, published on cult-related subjects, and collaborated in fieldwork focusing on the prediction and treatment of psychological damage related to involvement with high-demand religious movements.
1940–2006	United States	Psychology	Miller taught a course in advanced hypnotherapeutic techniques Hypnotherapy Hypnotherapy is a therapy that is undertaken with a subject in hypnosis.The word "hypnosis" is an abbreviation of James Braid's term "neuro-hypnotism", meaning "sleep of the nervous system".... , at UC Berkeley. Miller specialized in analysis of hypnotherapy, and wrote the article "The Utilization of Hypnotic Techniques in Religious Cult Conversion", in Cultic Studies Journal.
1921–2003	United States	Psychology	Singer was Professor Emeritus in the University of California at Berkeley's Department of Psychology. She had published widely on cultic groups, coercion, pseudo-therapudic practices, and other areas.
1956–	United States	Psychology	Sirkin was the Director of the Robert M. Beren Center of the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine is a graduate school of Yeshiva University. It is a not-for-profit, private, nonsectarian medical school located on the Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus in the Morris Park neighborhood of the borough of the Bronx of New York City... , Yeshiva University Yeshiva University Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012... . Following his doctoral work, Sirkin took a position on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry Psychiatry Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities... of the University of Rochester Medical Center University of Rochester Medical Center The University of Rochester Medical Center , located in Rochester, New York, is one of the main campuses of the University of Rochester and comprises the university's primary medical education, research and patient care facilities.... , where he worked with Professor Lyman Wynne Lyman Wynne Lyman C. Wynne was an American psychiatrist and psychologist with a special interest in schizophrenia. His early researches helped lay the foundation for family-based therapies , influencing others such as R. D. Laing. He made a number of discoveries about the interaction of genetics and the... . He later became Director of Group Training and Research at the Department of Psychiatry. Sirkin was Chairman of the American Family Foundation Psychology Committee, and member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Cultic Studies Journal Cultic Studies Review International Journal of Cultic Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the International Cultic Studies Association.- External links :* , Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle, Religion Writer, February 13, 2001... . With Uri Rueveni, of the University of Houston University of Houston The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of... , Sirkin studied the application of network therapy to the treatment of relational disorders relating to cults.
1924–1988	United States	Psychology	Temerlin was a psychologist Psychologist Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college... and the author of "Psychotherapy Cults: An Iatrogenic Perversion," which was published in Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice in 1982. He served on the APA taskforce on Deceptive and Indirect Techniques of Persuasion and Control, from 1983 to 1986..
1933–2002	Netherlands	Psychology	Van der Lans was a Dutch professor in the psychology of religion Psychology of religion Psychology of religion consists of the application of psychological methods and interpretive frameworks to religious traditions, as well as to both religious and irreligious individuals. The science attempts to accurately describe the details, origins, and uses of religious beliefs and behaviours... at the Catholic University of Nijmegen Radboud University Nijmegen Radboud University Nijmegen is a public university with a strong focus on research in Nijmegen, the Netherlands... (now called Radboud University Nijmegen). From 1977 onwards he did research among followers of new religious movement New religious movement A new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in... s. In 1979 he instigated a European platform of psychologists of religion and until 1997 he was chairperson of the International Committee of European Psychologists of Religion. In 1992 he became a professor in the psychology of religion at the university. Van der Lans was involved in the International Association for the Psychology of Religion (German: Internationale Gesellschaft für Religionspsychologie) and as of 1998 part of its executive committee. He was also a member of the Commission Internationale de Psychologie Religieuse Scientifique.
1933–	United States	Psychology	Zimbardo is a psychologist Psychology Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society... and a professor emeritus at Stanford University Stanford University The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San... .
	United States	Psychotherapy	Giambalvo is an author and therapist. She cofounded reFOCUS, a support and referral network for former members of cults. She has served as a Thought Reform Consultant since 1984. She is the author of Exit Counseling: A Family Intervention, co-editor of The Boston Movement: Critical Perspectives on the International Churches of Christ, and co-author of “Ethical Standards for Thought Reform Consultants.”
1946–	United States	Psychotherapy	Goldberg is a social worker. With his wife Lorna Goldberg Lorna Goldberg Lorna Goldberg is a social worker, certified psychoanalyst, psychotherapist and researcher of cults.Lorna works full time in a private practice as a therapist. Her focus is on children, adolescents and adults who have had exposure to cultic groups... , he has co-led a support group for what they regard as ex-cult members for over 25 years.
	United States	Psychotherapy	Goldberg is a social worker, certified psychoanalyst, psychotherapist and has served as the president of the International Cultic Studies Association International Cultic Studies Association The International Cultic Studies Association , formerly the American Family Foundation, describes itself as an "interdisciplinary network of academicians, professionals, former group members, and families who study and educate the public about social-psychological influence and control,... . With her husband Bill Goldberg Bill Goldberg (social worker) Bill Goldberg is a social worker and researcher of cults. He has a private practice and counsels families of alleged cult members. Goldberg also works for the Rockland County, New York Department of Mental Health - he directs three out-patient programs.... , Lorna has co-led a support group for ex-cult members for over 25 years.
1954–	United States	Psychotherapy	Hassan formed a method of counseling former members of controversial religious groups, called the Strategic Interaction Approach. In his 2002 book The Psychology of Terrorism, author Chris E. Stout writes that Hassan, "bases his counseling of voluntary cultists on theory and research. To combat destructive mind control, he has developed the Strategic Interaction Approach. This approach is designed to free the cult member from the group's control over his or her life." New York Magazine characterized Hassan as, "one of the country's leading experts on cults and mind control". Hassan has often been cited as an authority on NRM and cult topics.
	United States	Psychotherapy	Markowitz is a social worker, psychotherapist, and cult critic and researcher. He is the Director of the Cult Hot Line and Clinic of the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services in New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... . He is a founding member of the Interfaith Coalition of Concern About Cults, and is a member of the Task Force on Missionaries and Cults, Jewish Relations Council. He is a staff member of the Martha K. Selig Institute. In 1994 he was appointed by the Old Cult Awareness Network Cult Awareness Network The Cult Awareness Network was founded in the wake of the November 18, 1978 deaths of members of the group Peoples Temple and assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan in Jonestown, Guyana. CAN is now owned and operated by associates of the Church of Scientology, an organization that the original... as the Chairperson of the FOCUS committee (FOrmer CUltist Support Network).
1949–	United States	Religious studies	Bonewits is a well-known author on neo-Pagan subjects. He is one of the founders of the New Reformed Druids of North America, founder and past-president of the Aquarian Defamation League, and founding member of ADF (Ár nDraíocht Féin Ár nDraíocht Féin Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc. is a non-profit religious organization dedicated to the study and further development of modern, Neo-druidism practice.... ).
1945–	United Kingdom	Religious studies	Chryssides is the author, contributor and editor for several references covering new religious movements. He is senior lecturer for Religious Studies at the University of Wolverhampton University of Wolverhampton The University of Wolverhampton is a British university located on four campuses across the West Midlands and Shropshire. The city campus is located in Wolverhampton city centre with a second campus at Compton Park, Wolverhampton; a third in Walsall and a fourth in Telford... , and has served in various organizations related to the study of religion.
1945-	Israel	Religious Studies	Cohn-Sherbok is a rabbi Rabbi In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah... of Reform Judaism Reform Judaism Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the... , a Jewish theologian and a prolific author on religion. He is Professor Emeritus of Judaism at the University of Wales University of Wales The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was... . He has written on Messianic Judaism Messianic Judaism Messianic Judaism is a syncretic religious movement that arose in the 1960s and 70s. It blends evangelical Christian theology with elements of Jewish terminology and ritual.... , Christian Zionism Christian Zionism Christian Zionism is a belief among some Christians that the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, is in accordance with Biblical prophecy. It overlaps with, but is distinct from, the nineteenth century movement for the Restoration of the Jews... , and other new religious movements related to Judaism.
	United States	Religious studies	Cowan teaches at Renison College, University of Waterloo University of Waterloo The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff... , Ontario Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... and is one of the co-general editors of Nova Religio: The Journal of New and Emergent Religions. Nova Religio Nova Religio is a peer-reviewed religious studies journal that focuses on New Religious Movements. The journal is published by University of California Press, in Berkeley, California...
	United States	Religious studies	Dowhower is a Lutheran pastor Pastor The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps".... , as well as an educator and religious scholar. He has been actively involved in educating both his parish and the public about what he defined as "cult Cult The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices... s".
	United States	Religious studies	Forsthoefel is a professor of religious studies Religious studies Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to... at Mercyhurst College Mercyhurst College Mercyhurst College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.-History:On September 20, 1926, Mercyhurst College opened its doors just a few blocks away from the city's southern boundary. It was founded by the Sisters of Mercy of the Erie Diocese, who were led by Mother M. Borgia... in Erie, Pennsylvania Erie, Pennsylvania Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000... , as well as a poet Poet A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary... and author Author An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... . He has a special interest in Hinduism Hinduism Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions... and Buddhism Buddhism Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th... and has written on both new religious movements and established traditions within these faiths, while his own background is Roman Catholic. Forsthoefel's published books include: Four charismatic thinkers on violence and non-violence: analysis and evaluation (Loyola University of Chicago, 1987), Epistemologies of religious experience in medieval and modern Vedānta (University of Chicago Divinity School University of Chicago Divinity School The University of Chicago Divinity School is a graduate institution at the University of Chicago dedicated to the training of academics and clergy across religious boundaries... ), 1998), Knowing beyond knowledge: epistemologies of religious experience in classical and modern Advaita (Ashgate Ashgate Ashgate is an area in northeast Derbyshire, England, west of the town of Chesterfield. It is close to the town centre and local amenities.A leading place of interest in the area is the Inkerman playing fields, formerly a Victorian swimming baths and a former area of pottery, most notably... , 2002), Gurus in America co-editor with Cynthia Ann Humes (SUNY Press, 2005), Soulsong: Seeking Holiness, Coming Home (Orbis Books Orbis Books Orbis Books, is an American imprint of the Maryknoll order, that has been a small but influential publisher of liberation theology works, founded by Nicaraguan Maryknoll priest Miguel D'Escoto with Philip J. Scharper in 1970. It was the first to publish Gustavo Gutiérrez's seminal work A Theology... , 2006), and The Dalai Lama: essential writings editor (Orbis Books Orbis Books Orbis Books, is an American imprint of the Maryknoll order, that has been a small but influential publisher of liberation theology works, founded by Nicaraguan Maryknoll priest Miguel D'Escoto with Philip J. Scharper in 1970. It was the first to publish Gustavo Gutiérrez's seminal work A Theology... , 2008).
	United States	Religious studies	Gallagher is a professor of religious studies at Connecticut College Connecticut College Connecticut College is a private liberal arts college located in New London, Connecticut.The college was founded in 1911, as Connecticut College for Women, in response to Wesleyan University closing its doors to women... . His department lists his specialzations as: History of religion, New religious movements, New Testament New Testament The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament.... and early Christianity Early Christianity Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John.... , Western scriptures and traditions. He is the author of several books, mainly on the topic of new religious movements. In 1995 Gallagher and James D. Tabor, an associate professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina University of North Carolina Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century... , co-authored Why Waco? Cults and the Battle for Religious Freedom in America. The book blamed the 1993 Waco siege Waco Siege The Waco siege began on February 28, 1993, and ended violently 50 days later on April 19. The siege began when the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to execute a search warrant at the Branch Davidian ranch at Mount Carmel, a property located east-northeast of Waco,... partly on misunderstanding of religious issues by law enforcement personel.
1959-	Sweden	Religious Studies	Gardell is a scholar of comparative religion Comparative religion Comparative religion is a field of religious studies that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions... . He is the current holder of the Nathan Söderblom Chair of Comparative Religion at Uppsala University Uppsala University Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of... , Sweden. Gardell specializes in the study of religious extremism and religious racism in the United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... , studying groups such as the Ku Klux Klan Ku Klux Klan Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically... , Nation of Islam Nation of Islam The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and... , and folkish Folkish Folkish may refer to:Folk culture, in the sense "of the common people; traditional, sophisticated, yet unconventional"Völkisch movement of German ethnic nationalismNeo-völkisch, an ethnocentric current in Germanic neopaganism-See also:... movements in Neopaganism Neopaganism Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe... (Odinism Odinism Odinism is a type of Germanic Neopaganism.Odinism may also refer to:Norse paganism** the cult of Odin- See also :Odinist FellowshipOdinic RiteThe Odin BrotherhoodWotanism, a Völkisch / White Nationalist movement*Wodenism... ). His 1995 dissertation on Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan Muhammad, Sr. is the leader of the African-American religious movement the Nation of Islam . He served as the minister of major mosques in Boston and Harlem, and was appointed by the longtime NOI leader, Elijah Muhammad, before his death in 1975, as the National Representative of... and the Nation of Islam Nation of Islam The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and... was published in both British and American editions.
	United Kingdom	Religious studies	Geaves is a professor of religion at Liverpool Hope University Liverpool Hope University Liverpool Hope University is a university in Liverpool, England. Two of its three founding colleges were established in 1844 and 1856, the third opening in the 1960s. It is the only ecumenical university in Europe. Based on two campuses, the main campus is located in Childwall and the second... in England. He has become known by his expertise in the adaptation and transmigration of religions to the West, especially Islam Islam Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~... , Sikhism Sikhism Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing... and Hinduism Hinduism Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions... . He is the author of several books, including The Sufis of Britain, which explored the manifestations of Islamic mysticism in the UK and The Continuum Glossary of Religious Terminology an extensive glossary of seven major world faiths. He was one of the earliest Western students of Maharaji (Prem Rawat Prem Rawat Prem Pal Singh Rawat , also known as Maharaji and formerly known as Guru Maharaj Ji and Balyogeshwar, teaches a meditation practice he calls Knowledge.... , known also as Guru Maharaj Ji), and has written a number of papers related to Maharaji and his organizations, such as the Divine Light Mission Divine Light Mission The Divine Light Mission was an organization founded in 1960 by guru Shri Hans Ji Maharaj for his following in northern India. During the 1970s, the DLM gained prominence in the West under the leadership of his fourth and youngest son, Guru Maharaj Ji... , and Elan Vital Elan Vital (organization) Elan Vital is the name of several organizations that support the work of Prem Rawat, also known by the honorary title "Maharaji". Prem Rawat speaks of the possibility of knowing inner peace through four techniques of Knowledge. Elan Vital organizations exist in several countries with the purpose of... .
1957–	Germany	Religious studies	Grünschloß, Professor of Religious Studies at Göttingen University, is a researcher with a focus on new religious movements (especially UFO religion UFO religion UFO religion is an informal term used to describe a religion that equates UFO occupants with gods or other semi-divine beings. Typically, the UFO occupants are held to be extraterrestials and that humanity either currently is, or eventually will become, part of a preexisting extraterrestrial... s), Buddhism Buddhism Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th... , syncretism Syncretism Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word... and related topics who has contributed to various encyclopedias, anthologies and scholarly journals. He is also co-editor of the Marburg Journal of Religion Marburg Journal of Religion The Marburg Journal of Religion is a peer-reviewed online academic journal that publishes articles on empirical and theoretical studies of religion. It is believed to be the oldest internet journal devoted to the study of religions, the first issue having appeared in April 1996... .
1943–	United Kingdom/Canada	Religious studies	Hexham is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Calgary University of Calgary The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently... , Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... . He began his academic research with a study of New Age New Age The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational... thought in Glastonbury Glastonbury Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,784 in the 2001 census... and continued his research with a study of the origins of the ideology Ideology An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to... of Apartheid. Later he pioneered the study of the amaNazareta by publishing the complete scriptures of this important African Independent Church which in the past was often considered pagan. Alongside his South African studies Hexham also published extensively on New Religious Movements, Theology Theology Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo... , the History of Christian Missions, and, more recently National Socialism.
	United States	Religious Studies	Humes is a professor of Religious Studies at Claremont McKenna College Claremont McKenna College Claremont McKenna College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college and a member of the Claremont Colleges located in Claremont, California. The campus is located east of Downtown Los Angeles... , in Claremont, California Claremont, California Claremont is a small affluent college town in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population as of the 2010 census is 34,926. Claremont is known for its seven higher-education institutions, its... . She has spent much time in India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... in order to study first-hand the role of goddesses in modern Hinduism Hinduism Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions... , and has also written on Hinduism's influence on new religious movements in the United States. In 2008 she criticized the Transcendental Meditation movement Transcendental Meditation movement The Transcendental Meditation movement is a world-wide organization, sometimes characterised as a neo-Hindu new religious movement, founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1950s... for its seeming misunderstanding of Indian classical music Indian classical music The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music... , while in 2005 she had criticized its exclusivity.
1951	United States	Religious Studies	Jorgensen is a professor at the Department of Religious Studies of the University of South Florida University of South Florida The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA... is an American United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... professor at the Department of Religious Studies of the University of South Florida University of South Florida The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA... , for which he also served as chair from 1999 to 2006. Jorgensen's research interests include Sociology of Culture, Knowledge, and Religion, Science and Religion, Cults and Sects, American religion, Native American religions, new religions, Mormonism Mormonism Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself... , Shakerism, Occultism, Neopaganism Neopaganism Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe... , Witchcraft Witchcraft Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft... , Scientology Scientology Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics... , and others..
1942–	Netherlands	Religious studies	Kranenborg was an editor of the magazine Religious Movement in the Netherlands published by the institute of religious studies Religious studies Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to... of the Free University in Amsterdam Vrije Universiteit The Vrije Universiteit is a university in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch name is often abbreviated as VU and in English the university uses the name "VU University". The university is located on a compact urban campus in the southern part of Amsterdam in the Buitenveldert district... . He received his Phd. in the theological faculty about the subject of Self-realization Self-realization Self-realization is a self-awakening.Self-realization may also refer to:* Self-Realization Fellowship, worldwide spiritual organization founded by Paramahansa Yogananda... . He stated in the dissertation that he had attempted to research the subject following the norms of religious studies, not a theological one. He has a seat at the Comitato Scientifico (scientific committee) of the CESNUR CESNUR CESNUR , is an organization based in Turin, Italy. It was established in 1988 by a group of religious scholars from universities in Europe and the Americas, working in the field of new religious movements. Its director is the Italian sociologist and attorney Massimo Introvigne... . In 2003 he wrote, with co-author Mikael Rothstein Mikael Rothstein Mikael Rothstein is an associate professor of religious history at the University of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 2002 he was on the board of the Danish Association for the History of Religions and the editorial boards of the publications Renner Studies on New Religions and Nye... , New Religions in a Postmodern World.
	United States	Religious Studies	Kripal is a professor of Religious Studies and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Rice University Rice University William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States... , Houston, Texas Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... . His areas of interest include the comparative erotics and ethics of mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religion Eastern religion This article is about far east and Indian religions. For other eastern religions see: Eastern_world#Eastern_cultureEastern religions refers to religions originating in the Eastern world —India, China, Japan and Southeast Asia —and thus having dissimilarities with Western religions... s, and the history of Western esotericism from ancient gnosticism Gnosticism Gnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis... to the New Age New Age The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational... , including the Ramakrishna Mission Ramakrishna Mission Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are twin organizations which form the core of a worldwide spiritual movement known as Ramakrishna Movement or Vedanta Movement. The Ramakrishna Mission is a philanthropic, volunteer organization founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on... , and the Esalen Institute Esalen Institute Esalen Institute is a residential community and retreat in Big Sur, California, which focuses upon humanistic alternative education. Esalen is a nonprofit organization devoted to activites such as meditation, massage, Gestalt, yoga, psychology, ecology, and spirituality... .
1942–	United States	Religious studies	Melton is author of, co-author of, or contributor to many standard references and articles on emergent and established religious groups, including the Encyclopedia of American Religions. He is the Director of the Institute for the Study of American Religions based in Santa Barbara, California.
	United States	Religious studies	Saliba is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Detroit Mercy University of Detroit Mercy University of Detroit Mercy is a private, Roman Catholic co-educational university in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with the Society of Jesus and the Sisters of Mercy. Antoine M. Garibaldi is the president. With origins dating from 1877, it is the largest Roman Catholic university... as well as a Catholic priest and a Jesuit. He advocates a conciliatory approach towards new religious movements, arguing that "dialogue is more useful than diatribe". He notes that for most people membership in a NRM is temporary, and maintains that NRMs can act as a temporary safe haven for young adults, enabling them to stabilise their lives. He is critical of the anti-cult movement Anti-cult movement The anti-cult movement is a term used by academics and others to refer to groups and individuals who oppose cults and new religious movements. Sociologists David G... and has remarked that "the neutral stance of the social sciences is a stance which has often been interpreted as favoring the NRMs".
	United States	Religious studies	Shinn is president of Berea College Berea College Berea College is a liberal arts work college in Berea, Kentucky , founded in 1855. Current full-time enrollment is 1,514 students... , Kentucky. Prior to this appointment he was Vice-President of Academic Affairs, Dean of Humanities and Head of the Religious Studies Department at Bucknell University Bucknell University Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of... , USA. He has studied ISKCON in America for more than forty years and, and, among his other writings, published, The Dark Lord, a study of the Hare Krishnas and the cult controversy. He is also a United Methodist minister. He is notable for accepting the bona fides of the ISKCON even before a majority of academia accepted their (ISKCON's) traditional and orthodox nature.
1951	United States	Religious Studies	Silk is a professor of religion in public life at Trinity College (Hartford, Connecticut Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making... ). In the 1980s and 1990s Silk was a regular contributor to the New York Times, contributing essays and book reviews on feminist theology Feminist theology Feminist theology is a movement found in several religions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and New Thought, to reconsider the traditions, practices, scriptures, and theologies of those religions from a feminist perspective... , new religious movements, Jewish identity Jewish identity Jewish identity is the objective or subjective state of perceiving oneself as a Jew and as relating to being Jewish. Under the broader definition, the Jewish identity does not depend on whether or not a person is regarded as a Jew by others, or by an external set of religious, or legal, or... , and other religion-related topics. In 1995 he criticized the American news media for their unbalanced coverage of new religious movements when compared to more established religious institutions.
	United States	Religious studies	Wessinger is a professor of religious studies Religious studies Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to... at Loyola University New Orleans Loyola University New Orleans Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational and Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit patron, Saint Ignatius of Loyola... with a main research focus on millennialism Millennialism Millennialism , or chiliasm in Greek, is a belief held by some Christian denominations that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth in which "Christ will reign" for 1000 years prior to the final judgment and future eternal state... , new religions, women and religion Women and religion The study of women and religion typically examines the role of women within particular religious faiths, and religious doctrines relating to gender, sex roles, and particular women in religious history.-See also:* Women in Islam* Women in Judaism... and religions of India. Wessinger is co-general editor of Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions and served as a consultant to federal law enforcement during the Montana Freemen standoff Montana Freemen The Montana Freemen were a Christian Patriot movement based outside the town of Jordan, Montana. The members of the group referred to their land as "Justus Township" and had declared themselves no longer under the authority of any outside government... .
1938–	United Kingdom	Sociology	Barker is Professor Emeritus of the Sociology Department at the London School of Economics London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London... . She is founder and chairperson of INFORM INFORM INFORM is an independent registered charity located at the London School of Economics. It was founded in 1988 by the sociologist of religion, Eileen Barker, with funding from the British Home Office, Britain’s mainstream churches, foundations and enquirers... (Information Network Focus on Religious Movements), past-Chairperson of the British Sociological Association British Sociological Association The British Sociological Association is a scholarly and professional society for sociologists in the United Kingdom, and was founded in 1951. They publish the academic journals Sociology, Work, Employment and Society and Cultural Sociology as well as their membership newsletter... 's Study Group for the Sociology of Religion, past-President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Society for the Scientific Study of Religion The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion was formed to advance research in the social scientific perspective on religious institutions and experiences.-Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion:... , and past-President of the Association for the Sociology of Religion Association for the Sociology of Religion The Association for the Sociology of Religion is an academic association with more than 700 members worldwide. It publishes a journal, the Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review and holds meetings at the same venues and times as the American Sociological Association.-History:The ASR was founded... . Her work has included hundreds of articles, books, reviews and consultations with governments.
	United Kingdom	Sociology	Beckford is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Warwick University of Warwick The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom... , a Fellow of the British Academy British Academy The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual... , and a former President of both the Association for the Sociology of Religion Association for the Sociology of Religion The Association for the Sociology of Religion is an academic association with more than 700 members worldwide. It publishes a journal, the Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review and holds meetings at the same venues and times as the American Sociological Association.-History:The ASR was founded... and the International Society for the Sociology of Religion International Society for the Sociology of Religion The International Society for the Sociology of Religion , also known as the Société Internationale de Sociologie des Religions , arose in 1989 from the International Conference on Sociology of Religion , founded in 1948... . He has authored or edited a dozen books about new religious movements and cult controversies and has contributed about 100 journal articles and book chapters to the field. He is associated with Eileen Barker's INFORM INFORM INFORM is an independent registered charity located at the London School of Economics. It was founded in 1988 by the sociologist of religion, Eileen Barker, with funding from the British Home Office, Britain’s mainstream churches, foundations and enquirers... (Information Network Focus on Religious Movements), a UK charity that disseminates information on NRMs to government and the public at large.
1941–	United States	Sociology	Bromley is a professor of sociology Sociology Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity... at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968... , Richmond, VA and the University of Virginia University of Virginia The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson... , Charlottesville, VA, a past president of the Association for the Sociology of Religion Association for the Sociology of Religion The Association for the Sociology of Religion is an academic association with more than 700 members worldwide. It publishes a journal, the Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review and holds meetings at the same venues and times as the American Sociological Association.-History:The ASR was founded... , and a former editor of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion is a peer-reviewed journal, published by Wiley-Blackwell in the United States of America under the auspices of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, dedicated to publishing scholarly articles in the social sciences, including psychology,... . His publishing has concentrated both on new religious movements and the anti-cult movement Anti-cult movement The anti-cult movement is a term used by academics and others to refer to groups and individuals who oppose cults and new religious movements. Sociologists David G... that arose to oppose them; he and Anson Shupe Anson Shupe Anson D. Shupe is an American sociologist noted for his studies of religious groups and their countermovements, family violence and clergy misconduct.-Work:... became "the primary social science interpreters of that countermovement in a series of books and articles".
1940–2011	United Kingdom	Sociology	Clarke was Professor Emeritus of the History and Sociology of Religion at King's College, University of London, a professorial member of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oxford University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096... , and the founding editor of the Journal of Contemporary Religion Journal of Contemporary Religion The Journal of Contemporary Religion is a triannual peer-reviewed academic journal which covers anthropological, sociological, psychological, and philosophical aspects of religion.- History and format :... . His publications include Japanese New Religions: In Global Perspective (editor), New Religions in Global Perspective: A Study of Religious Change in the Modern World and the Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements (editor).
	Canada	Sociology	Dawson is Professor of Sociology and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Waterloo University of Waterloo The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff... . His publications include Comprehending Cults (1998), Cults and New Religions (2003) and Religion Online (2004); in addition, he has authored numerous scholarly articles and book chapters on the study of new religions, religion and the internet and related topics.
1947–	France	Sociology	Dericquebourg is a sociologist of religions. He wrote his thesis on Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual... under the direction of Jean Seguy Jean Séguy Jean Séguy was a French sociologist of religions.-Biography:He born in a Catholic family from south-western France. In 1970, he was doctor of Letters, then research director of the CNRS... . He holds a doctorate in psychosociology and a postgraduate degree in clinical psychology from the Institute of Paris 7. He is a member of the Group for the Study of Religions and Secularity at the National Center for the Scientific Studies in Paris, and a professor at the Charles de Gaulle University – Lille III. He published five books, many sociological articles in collective books, encyclopedias and journals and regularly participated in conferences of sociology. His contributions are mainly on Jehovah's Witnesses, healing churches and new religious movement New religious movement A new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in... s.
1933–	Belgium	Sociology	Dobbelaere is an Emeritus Professor of both the University of Antwerp University of Antwerp The University of Antwerp is one of the major Belgian universities located in the city of Antwerp. The name is sometimes abbreviated as UA.-History:... and the Catholic University of Leuven Catholic University of Leuven The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the... in Belgium. He is past-President and General Secretary of the International Society for the Sociology of Religion International Society for the Sociology of Religion The International Society for the Sociology of Religion , also known as the Société Internationale de Sociologie des Religions , arose in 1989 from the International Conference on Sociology of Religion , founded in 1948... . His teaching focus was sociology and the sociology of religion. His research fields have included changes in religious participation and new religious sectarian movements.
1938–	United States	Sociology	Enroth is a widely published author and educator who has done work in the area of abusive evangelical Christian congregations and new religious movements. He is professor of sociology at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.
1937–2003	United States	Sociology	Hadden was Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at the University of Virginia University of Virginia The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson... , and founder of an internet resource on new religious movements, the Religious Movements Homepage Project.
	United Kingdom	Sociology	Hunt is a Professor of Sociology Sociology Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity... at the University of the West of England University of the West of England The University of the West of England is a university based in the English city of Bristol. Its main campus is at Frenchay, about five miles north of the city centre... whose primary research interests in the field of alternative religion include the Charismatic movement Charismatic movement The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt... and the "New" Black Pentecostal Churches.
1955–	Italy	Sociology	Introvigne is the director of the Center for Studies of New Religions (CESNUR CESNUR CESNUR , is an organization based in Turin, Italy. It was established in 1988 by a group of religious scholars from universities in Europe and the Americas, working in the field of new religious movements. Its director is the Italian sociologist and attorney Massimo Introvigne... ) in Turin Turin Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat... , Italy; his publications include over thirty books on the history and sociology of religion (among them the Enciclopedia delle religioni in Italia), as well as over a hundred scholarly articles in various languages.
1928–	United States	Sociology	Johnson is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Oregon University of Oregon -Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :... , former chair of both its Sociology Department and Department of Religious Studies, and former editor of Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion is a peer-reviewed journal, published by Wiley-Blackwell in the United States of America under the auspices of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, dedicated to publishing scholarly articles in the social sciences, including psychology,... . He is past-president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Society for the Scientific Study of Religion The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion was formed to advance research in the social scientific perspective on religious institutions and experiences.-Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion:... , the Association for the Sociology of Religion Association for the Sociology of Religion The Association for the Sociology of Religion is an academic association with more than 700 members worldwide. It publishes a journal, the Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review and holds meetings at the same venues and times as the American Sociological Association.-History:The ASR was founded... , and The Religious Research Association. His work focuses on church-sect typology, new religious movements and mainline U.S. Protestant denominations.
	Canada	Sociology	Kent is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Alberta University of Alberta The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada... in Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... . A specialist in alternative religions, he has published research on such groups as the Children of God and Scientology Scientology Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics... , and has cautioned against downplaying the risks associated with involvement in such groups.
1945–	United States	Sociology	Lalich is a widely published author and educator who has done work in the area of cults and psychological influence. She is the head of the Cult Recovery and Information Center in Alameda, California.
1956–	United States	Sociology	Lane is a professor of philosophy Philosophy Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational... and sociology Sociology Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity... at Mt. San Antonio College Mt. San Antonio College Mt. San Antonio College is a community college located in the Los Angeles suburb of Walnut, California, 2.12 miles west of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona .... , in Walnut, California. He is the author of: The Making of a Spiritual Movement: The Untold Story of Paul Twitchell and Eckankar, The Unknowing Sage:Life and Work of Baba Faqir Chand, and Exposing Cults: When the Skeptical Mind Confronts the Mystical.
1936	United States	Sociology	Lofland is a sociologist, professor, and author best known for his studies of the peace movement Peace movement A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace... and for his first book, Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith is a sociological book based on field study of a group of Unification Church members in California and Oregon. It was first published in 1966 and written by sociologist John Lofland... which was based on field work among a group of Unification Church Unification Church The Unification Church is a new religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. In 1954, the Unification Church was formally and legally established in Seoul, South Korea, as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity . In 1994, Moon gave the church... members in California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... in the 1960s 1960s The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe... . It is considered to be one of the most important and widely cited studies of the process of religious conversion Religious conversion Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,... , and one of the first modern sociological studies of a new religious movement.. He earned a PhD in sociology the University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... based on his Unification Church study. Since 1970 he has been a professor in the sociology department at the University of California, Davis University of California, Davis The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment... , where he is now Professor of Sociology Emeritus.
1941–	United States	Sociology	Ofshe is a widely published author and expert witness who has done work in the area of cultic mind control and the use of hypnosis for recovering repressed memories. He is a professor emeritus of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... .
	Canada	Sociology	Palmer teaches in Montreal, Quebec as an Adjunct Professor at Concordia University Concordia University Concordia University is a comprehensive Canadian public university located in Montreal, Quebec, one of the two universities in the city where English is the primary language of instruction... and as Professor of Religious Studies at Dawson College Dawson College Dawson College was the first English CEGEP and is located in Westmount, just west of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Dawson College is located near the heart of downtown Montreal in a former nunnery on 4.85 hectares of green space... ; she is the author of more than sixty articles as well as the author or editor of eight books on new religious movements.
	Australia	Sociology	Possamai is currently Associate Professor in Sociology and the Acting Director of the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Muslim Societies (CSCMS) at the University of Western Sydney University of Western Sydney The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia... , New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... , Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... . He is the former president of the Australian Association for the Study of Religions. He was the 2002-2007 co-editor of the Australian Religion Studies Review and is currently the President of the sociology of religion section (RC22) of the International Sociological Association International Sociological Association International Sociological Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to scientific purposes in the field of sociology and social sciences... . He has published research on the Church of All Worlds Church of All Worlds The Church of All Worlds is a neopagan religious group whose stated mission is to evolve a network of information, mythology, and experience that provides a context and stimulus for reawakening Gaia and reuniting her children through tribal community dedicated to responsible stewardship and... , the Church of Satan, Jediism Jediism Jediism is a religious movement based on the philosophical and spiritual ideas of the Jedi as depicted in Star Wars media.-Belief:Practitioners identify themselves with the Jedi Knights in Star Wars, believe in the existence of the Force and that interaction with the Force is possible. Believers... , and other new religious movements.
	United States	Sociology	Richardson has done work in the area of minority religions and connections between law and religion. He directs the Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies at the University of Nevada (Reno) University of Nevada, Reno The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA... .
1943–	United States	Sociology	Robbins is an independent scholar affiliated with the Santa Barbara Centre for Humanistic Studies; trained at Harvard University Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... and the University of North Carolina University of North Carolina Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century... , he has held teaching and research appointments at Queens College Queens College, City University of New York Queens College, located in Flushing, Queens, New York City, is one of the senior colleges of the City University of New York. It is also the fifth oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning. The college's seventy seven acre campus is located in the heart of the... , the New School for Social Research, Yale University Yale University Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States... and the Graduate Theological Union Graduate Theological Union The Graduate Theological Union ' is a consortium of nine independent theological schools, and eleven centers and affiliates. Eight of the theological schools are located in Berkeley, California. The GTU was founded in 1962. It maintains the Graduate Theological Union Library, one of the most... and is a leading contributor of social scientific literature on new religious movements.
1948–	Netherlands	Sociology	Schnabel is a prolific author and research professor who has done work in mental health and religion. He is director of the Social and Cultural Planning Office at the University of Utrecht Utrecht University Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors.... , and sits on the board of the History and Culture Research Institute.
1948–	United States	Sociology	Shupe is a Professor of Sociology at the joint campus of Indiana State University Indiana State University Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S... -Purdue University Purdue University Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and... at Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana... . He has done fieldwork on a number of new religious movements, in particular the Unification Church Unification Church The Unification Church is a new religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. In 1954, the Unification Church was formally and legally established in Seoul, South Korea, as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity . In 1994, Moon gave the church... , and has also studied the anti-cult movement Anti-cult movement The anti-cult movement is a term used by academics and others to refer to groups and individuals who oppose cults and new religious movements. Sociologists David G... ; he and David G. Bromley David G. Bromley David G. Bromley is a professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA and the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. He has written extensively about "cults", new religious movements, apostasy, and the anti-cult movement.- Education and career :Bromley received his... became "the primary social science interpreters of that countermovement in a series of books and articles".
1945-1990	Ireland	Sociology	Wallis was a sociologist and Dean Dean (education) In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both... of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the Queen's University Belfast. He is mostly known for his creation of the seven signs that differentiate a religious congregation from a sect Sect A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and... arian church, which he created while researching the Scientology Scientology Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics... church. After publishing his book The Road to Total Freedom The Road to Total Freedom The Road to Total Freedom: A Sociological Analysis of Scientology is a non-fiction book about Scientology by sociologist Roy Wallis. Originally published in 1976 by Heinemann, it was republished in 1977 by Columbia University Press. The original manuscript was the product of Wallis's doctoral... , an in-depth analysis of the sociology of Scientology, he was harassed by the church both legally and personally. Forged letters, apparently from Wallis, were sent to his colleagues implicating him in various scandalous activities. He introduced the distinction between world-affirming and world-rejecting new religious movements.
1952–	Denmark	Sociology	Warburg is a professor at the University of Copenhagen University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the... 's Department of History of Religions. She specializes in the sociology of religion with emphasis on emergent religious sects and religious minorities. She has written extensively on the effect of technology on religion and new religious movements.
1926–2004	United Kingdom	Sociology	Wilson was Reader Emeritus in Sociology and an Emeritus Fellow of All Souls College All Souls College, Oxford The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.... at Oxford. He taught at Oxford for over 30 years, and was visiting professor at various universities world-wide. He was Honorary President of the International Society for the Sociology of Religion International Society for the Sociology of Religion The International Society for the Sociology of Religion , also known as the Société Internationale de Sociologie des Religions , arose in 1989 from the International Conference on Sociology of Religion , founded in 1948... . His work was in the typology of sects, the secularization of religious groups, and relationships between minority groups and governments.
1941–	United States	Sociology	Zablocki is the head of the Sociology department at Rutgers University Rutgers University Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American... . He has published on communes, leadership roles in new religious movements, and the academic debates regarding brainwashing and methodology in the study of new religion.
1927	Switzerland	Theology	Hollenweger is a Swiss Swiss (people) The Swiss are citizens or natives of Switzerland. The demonym derives from the toponym of Schwyz and has been in widespread use to refer to the Old Swiss Confederacy since the 16th century.... theologian and author, recognized as an expert on worldwide Pentecostalism Pentecostalism Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek... . His two best known books are: The Pentecostals (1972) and Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide (1997) In 1955 he began studying at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Zurich University of Zurich The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy.... . He wrote a ten volume doctoral dissertation Handbuch der Pfingstbewegung (Handbook of the Pentecostal Movement) published in 1966. The core of this work was published in various languages and became a standard work on Pentecostalism. His numerous publications in the years following made him one of the premier interpreters of this movement.

Endnotes

Steven Hassan is the author of the book Combatting Cult Mind Control
Combatting Cult Mind Control
Combatting Cult Mind Control: The #1 Best-selling Guide to Protection, Rescue, and Recovery from Destructive Cults is a non-fiction work by Steven Hassan. The author describes theories of mind control and cults based on the research of Margaret Singer and Robert Lifton as well as the cognitive...

;,which was recommended in the American Journal of Psychiatry
American Journal of Psychiatry
The American Journal of Psychiatry is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of psychiatry and the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association. The first volume was issued in 1844, at which time it was known as the American Journal of Insanity...

"to professionals in health-related fields, clergy, attorneys, judges, and others whose responsibilities bring them into contact with cults, their members, and the families whose lives are affected."; and in The Lancet
The Lancet
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...

for "professionals in mental health, particularly those involved with students". In 2003, the news agency
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...

Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...

described Hassan as a "cult expert"; the same characterization has been made about Hassan by The Toronto Sun, the Sydney Morning Herald, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

, The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...

, the Herald Sun
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...

, and Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...

. In the book Theorising Religion: Classical and Contemporary Debates edited by James A. Beckford
James A. Beckford
James Arthur Beckford is a British sociologist of religion. He is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Warwick and a Fellow of the British Academy...

and John Walliss, Hassan is described as a "scholar" belonging to the faction of "cult bashers".

External links

Cults & New Religious Movements: A Bibliography, by Rob Nanninga
Online texts 118 Online papers, articles and books about Cults, New Religious Movements, and the Social Scientific Study of Religion.

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

List

See also

Endnotes

External links