‘Cult’ Rhetoric in the 21st Century: Deconstructing the Study of New Religious Movements

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Aled Thomas (University of Wolverhampton, UK) Edward Graham-Hyde (University of Central Lancashire, UK)

‘Cult’ Rhetoric in the 21st Century

Deconstructing the Study of New Religious Movements

Aled Thomas (University of Wolverhampton, UK), Edward Graham-Hyde (University of Central Lancashire, UK)

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English

Bloomsbury Academic
11 July 2024

Alternative belief systems

Series: Religion at the Boundaries

Examining contemporary understandings of the term ‘cult’, this book brings together scholars from multiple disciplines, including sociology, anthropology and religious studies. Focusing on how ‘cult rhetoric’ affects our perceptions of new religious movements, the contributors explore how these minority groups have developed and deconstruct the language we use to describe them.

Ranging from the ‘Cult of Trump’ and ‘Cult of COVID’, to the campaigns of mass media, this book recognises that contemporary ‘cult rhetoric’ has become hybridised and suggests a more nuanced study of contemporary religion. Topics include online religions, political ‘cults’, ‘apostate’ testimony and the current ‘othered’ position of the study of minority religions.

Edited by: Aled Thomas (University of Wolverhampton UK), Edward Graham-Hyde (University of Central Lancashire, UK)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781350333215
ISBN 10: 1350333212
Series: Religion at the Boundaries
Pages: 264
Publication Date: 11 July 2024
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Foreword: Introduction to the ‘Religion at the Boundaries’ Series – Suzanne Newcombe (Inform and the Open University, UK) and Sarah Harvey (Inform) Part I: Approaches to ‘Cult’ Rhetoric Chapter 1: ‘Cult’ Rhetoric in the 21st Century: The Disconnect Between Popular Discourse and the Ivory Tower, Aled Thomas (University of Leeds, UK) and Edward Graham-Hyde (University of Central Lancashire, UK) Chapter 2: Balancing Pragmatism and Precision: Inform’s Approach to Cult Rhetoric, Suzanne Newcombe (Inform and the Open University, UK) and Sarah Harvey (Inform) Chapter 3: A History of Anti-Cult Rhetoric, George D. Chryssides (York St John University, UK) Chapter 4: The Paradigm Shift from Sacred to Profane, William Sims Bainbridge (Independent Scholar) Chapter 5: The Dangerous Cult Exercise: Popular Culture and the Ongoing Construction of the New Religious Threat, Douglas E. Cowan (University of Waterloo, USA) Chapter 6: The Recognition of Cults, Roderick P. Dubrow-Marshall (University of Salford, UK) Part II: Contemporary ‘Cultic’ Issues Chapter 7: The Light of the World: La Luz del Mundo, Liminality, and NRM Studies, Donald A. Westbrook (San Jose State University, USA) Chapter 8: Cults of Conspiracy and the (On-Going) Satanic Panic, Bethan Juliet Oake (University of Leeds, UK) Chapter 9: ‘There is no QAnon’: Cult Accusations in Contemporary American Political and Online Discourse, Susannah Crockford (University of Exeter, UK) Chapter 10: Playing at Religion: Understanding Contemporary Spiritual Experiences in Popular Culture, Vivian Asimos (Independent Scholar) Chapter 11: Attempting to Educate Journalists about the Role of Cult Essentialism in the Branch Davidian-Federal Agents Conflict, Catherine Wessinger (Loyola University New Orleans, USA) Afterword: Critical Reflections and Conclusions, W. Michael Ashcraft (Truman State University, USA) Bibliography Index

Aled Thomas is a Teaching Fellow in the Study of Religion at the University of Leeds, UK. He is the author of Free Zone Scientology: Contesting the Boundaries of a New Religion (Bloomsbury, 2021). Edward Graham-Hyde is an Associate Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire, UK and Treasurer of the Information Network Focus on Religious Movements (Inform).

Reviews for ‘Cult’ Rhetoric in the 21st Century: Deconstructing the Study of New Religious Movements

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 *