Cults, Converts, and Charisma

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION - With James Beckford Initial Emergence of Exotic Groups from the Counterculture Resurgence of the Old Time Religion Conflicts over Cults Normalization and Decline Conclusion Phases of Ferment A Note on Methods The Literature on Western NRMs Outside the USA and UK - James Beckford PART TWO: NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS AND SOCIETY: THEORIES AND EXPLANATIONS The Issue of Historical Specificity Theories of Sociocultural Transformation Revolution and the Occult Functionalism and the Integrative Thesis Cults and Cultural Confusion Religious Movements in the Material World Religious Movements and Communal Dislocations NRMs and Secularization Conclusion PART THREE: CONVERSION, COMMITMENT AND DISENGAGEMENT Conceptual and Analytical Confusion Motifs of Conversion Conversion as Brainwashing The Lofland-Stark Process Model Social Networks Defection and Deconversion PART FOUR: ORGANIZATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF MOVEMENTS Formation of New Movements Determinants of NRM Success and Failure Institutionalizatioin Patterns Precariousness of Charisma Precarioiusness of the Market Financing the Millennium Conclusion PART FIVE: TYPOLOGICAL ANALYSES AND EVALUATIONS OF NEW MOVEMENTS Critical and Normative Schema The Anthony Typology Critical Types and the ACM Sociological Typologies of Comtemporary NRMs Recent Sociological Conceptions of Cult Conclusion PART SIX: SOCIAL CONFLICTS OVER NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS Patterns of Conflict Church, State and Cult Cults and Competitors The Jonestown Tragedy Violence and NRMs Conclusion PART SEVEN: NEW RELIGIONS AND THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGIONS New Religions and Theory in the Sociology of Religions May the Force Be With You The Shifting Problematic Sympathy and Objectivity Sources of Sympathy Toward a New Sociology of ReligionRobbins, Thomas is the author of 'Cults, Converts, and Charisma', published 1988 under ISBN 9780803981591 and ISBN 0803981597.