Cults converts and charisma : the sociology of new religious movements

Recent decades have seen an apparent increase in the number and
vitality of new religious movements throughout the world. They have also
been marked by evident social conflict over the activities of 'cults'.
These developments have been met by growing interest among social
scientists in the significance of new religious movements and a
proliferation of research into their activities and their social impact.
In this wide-ranging survey Thomas Robbins assesses the state of the art
in sociological and related work on new religious movements.
Concentrating on research on movements in the USA and Western
Europe, he analyses theories relating the growth of new religions to
sociocultural changes, the dynamics of conversion to and defection from
movements, patterns of organization and institutionalization, and social
controversies over cults. He also examines the impact of the study of
new and deviant movements on the sociology of religion in general, and
the implications of recent spiritual ferment for previous models of
secularization and sect-church theory.
The book concludes with a comprehensive bibliography.
This text will be essential reading for all students and researchers in the
sociology of religion and in religious studies.