‘Cult’ Rhetoric in the 21st Century: Deconstructing the Study of New Religious Movements (Religion at the Boundaries)

‘Cult’ Rhetoric in the 21st Century: Deconstructing the Study of New Religious Movements (Religion at the Boundaries)
“by: Edward Graham-Hyde (Author, Editor), Aled Thomas(Author, Editor)”
Publisher:Bloomsbury Academic
Publication Date: 11 July 2024
Language:English
Print Length:272 pages
ISBN-10:1350333212
ISBN-13:9781350333215
Book Description
This book focuses on how ‘cult rhetoric’ affects our perceptions of new religious movements (NRMs). Recent decades have seen radical changes, both in the study of religion and in religions themselves. International contributors show how the rise of Al Qaeda, Donald Trump’s presidency and organisations like QAnon, as well as developments in digital technology, have influenced the ways in which minority religions have progressed. They also discuss how secularisation theory and the questioning of the so-called World Religions Paradigm have greatly shaped academic treatment of the field – all while the media, the anticult movement and popular culture continue to shape public perceptions of NRMs, with rhetoric involving terms like ‘destructive cult’, ‘brainwashing’, and ‘victims’.This book examines how discussions on NRMs have developed over the past decades, deconstructing the language we use to describe these movements. It also explores specific case studies, notably the Chinese concept of xiejiao (‘evil cults’), La Luz del Mundo, QAnon, and video games as a medium of spiritual encounter.
About the Author
Review “This is an important book because it charts a middle way between scholars of New Religious Movements (NRMs), ‘Cultic Studies’ scholars and ex-members of NRMs … It establishes a course for a more inclusive and empathetic study of NRMs.” –Carole M. Cusack, The University of Sydney, Australia”Part critical history, part call to action, ‘Cult’ Rhetoric is a must-read for scholars wishing to move the study of minority religions forward in the twenty-first century. Providing a range of perspectives, its contributors analyse the many ways that scholars – as well as government officials, law enforcement agents, psychologists, the media, and others – shape popular understanding of cults.” –Rebecca Moore, San Diego State University, USA About the Author Aled Thomas is a Teaching Fellow in the Study of Religion at the University of Leeds, UK, Associate Lecturer at the Open University, UK and co-founder of alt-ac.uk.Edward Graham-Hyde is a research fellow at the University of Central Lancashire, UK.