Researchers

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Books

Articles

Book Reviews

Additional Resources Outside of ICSA

A Journey Through New York City Religions

Since July 9, 2010, the mission of A Journey through NYC religions is to explore, document and explain through our online magazine and other educational programs the great religious changes that are taking place in New York City. We are traveling down all 6,374.9 miles of our city's streets, every alleyway and quite a few hallways to map and photograph every religious site and to interview clergy and lay leaders at the sites.

American Psychological Association - Nonmember access to database

APA PsycNET® Direct

24-hour database access and single item access options give you immediate access to the research content you need

Division 36: Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU)

The Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit is based at Goldsmiths, University of London, and is part of the Department of Psychology. The research unit was established by Professor Chris French in 2000 to provide a focus for research activity in the area of Anomalistic Psychology. In general terms, Anomalistic Psychology attempts to explain paranormal and related beliefs, and ostensibly paranormal experiences in terms of known or knowable psychological and physical factors. Read our introduction to Anomalistic Psychology for an overview of the field.

Association for the Academic Study of Religion

encouragement of academic research in the field of new, alternative and minority religious movements across historical periods.

Asociación Iberoamericana para la Investigación del Abuso Psicológico

La Asociación Iberoamericana para la Investigación del Abuso Psicológico (AIIAP) es una asociación profesional especializada en relaciones sectarias, sectas destructivas y otras dinámicas de abuso psicológico.

Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA)

The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) strives to democratize access to the best data on religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997 and going online in 1998, the initial archive was targeted at researchers interested in American religion. The targeted audience and the data collection have both greatly expanded since 1998, now including American and international collections and developing features for educators, journalists, religious congregations, and researchers. Data included in the ARDA are submitted by the foremost religion scholars and research centers in the world. Currently housed in the Social Science Research Institute, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Department of Sociology at the Pennsylvania State University, the ARDA is funded by the Lilly Endowment, the John Templeton Foundation, Chapman University and the Pennsylvania State University.

CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions)

CESNUR is a network of independent but related organizations of scholars in various countries, devoted to promote scholarly research in the field of new religious consciousness, to spread reliable and responsible information, and to expose the very real problems associated with some movements, while at the same time defending everywhere the principles of religious liberty.

Born and Raised in a Sect: You are Not Alone. Lois Kendall.

"What is it like to grow up in a strict religion or sect? Why did my parents become involved in this group? Why do people stare at me? Born and Raised in a Sect answers many, often unspoken, questions and enables the reader to better grasp what the experience of a sect upbringing and recovery from it may be like. Dr. Kendall is a leading researcher and a passionate advocate of those born and raised in sects. Her book enables the reader to grasp the enormity of the challenges facing this diverse group of people. . . This book will be of interest to academics and those who support this population, such as loved ones, teachers, clinicians, clergy, or other professionals. Of course, those who might receive the most from reading Born and Raised in a Sect are those who themselves have had this experience. May the words of this book soothe your soul and sharpen your mind."

Child Trauma Academy

CTA is a not-for-profit organization based in Houston, Texas working to improve the lives of high-risk children through direct service, research and education. We recognize the crucial importance of childhood experience in shaping the health of the individual, and ultimately, society. By creating biologically-informed child and family respectful practice, programs and policy, CTA seeks to help maltreated and traumatized children.

Cults and New Religious Movements: A Bibliography

Bibliography, with emphasis on sociology, compiled by Rob Naninga.  Mainly material from before 2000.  However, this is quite an extensive listing.

116 Online Texts About Cults and NRMs

Hartford Institute for Religion Research

Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research has a thirty-four year record of rigorous, policy-relevant research, anticipation of emerging issues and commitment to the creative dissemination of learning. This record has earned the Institute an international reputation as an important bridge between the scholarly community and the practice of faith. Resources include an online Encyclopedia of Religion and Society.

Info-Cult / Info-Secte 

Info-Cult is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1980 based in Montreal (Quebec, Canada) that offers help and information about cults, new religious movements and related groups and subjects.

Legal and Government Reports

Inform

Inform (Information Network on Religious Movements) is an independent charity, based at the London School of Economics and supported by the British government and mainstream churches. Its objective is to provide information that is as reliable and up-to-date as possible about minority religions, including new religious movements (‘NRMs’), spiritual, esoteric and/or other ‘sectarian’ or ‘cultic’ movements.

International Journal for the Study of New Religions

Published in cooperation with The International Society for the Study of New Religions (ISSNR), the journal was founded in 2010.  International Journal for the Study of New Religions considers submissions from both established scholars and research students from all over the world. Articles should be written for a general scholarly audience. All articles are refereed. 

Journal of Contemporary Religion

An international peer reviewed journal. Its purpose is to both document and evaluate the anthropological, sociological, psychological, and philosophical aspects of emerging manifestations of religiosity in any part of the world—whether within innovative movements or mainstream institutions.

Nova Religio

Nova Religio presents scholarly interpretations and examinations of emergent and alternative religious movements.

Online World Religions Project

Division of Religion and Philosophy, University of Cumbria

Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance

Disseminate accurate religious information. Expose religious fraud, hatred, and misinformation. Disseminate information. Promote religious tolerance.

Psychology of Religion Pages

Maintained by Michael Nielsen, Department of Psychology, Georgia Southern University

Quackwatch

Quackwatch is now an international network of people who are concerned about health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct. Its primary focus is on quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere. To help visitors with special areas of interest, Dr. Barrett maintains 24 additional sites for autism, chiropractic, dentistry, multilevel marketing, and many other hot topics. Our Internet Health Pilot site provides links to hundreds of reliable health sites. Our Casewatch site contains a large library of legal cases, licensing board actions, government sanctions, and regulatory actions against questionable medical products. We are also affiliated with Bioethics Watch, which highlights issues of questionable research on humans.

Skeptic

The Skeptics Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) scientific and educational organization whose mission is to engage leading experts in investigating the paranormal, fringe science, pseudoscience, and extraordinary claims of all kinds, promote critical thinking, and serve as an educational tool for those seeking a sound scientific viewpoint. Our contributors—leading scientists, scholars, investigative journalists, historians, professors and teachers—are top experts in their fields. It is our hope that our efforts go a long way in promoting critical thinking and lifelong inquisitiveness in all individuals.

The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Over the past five decades, immigration has dramatically changed the religious landscape of the United States. Today, the encounter of people of different religious traditions takes place in our own cities and neighborhoods. In 1991, the Pluralism Project at Harvard University began a pioneering study of America's changing religious landscape. Through an expanding network of affiliates, we document the contours of our multi-religious society, explore new forms of interfaith engagement, study the impact of religious diversity in civic life, and contextualize these findings within a global framework.

World Religions and Spirituality Project

"The World Religions & Spirituality Project (WRSP) was established in 2010 at Virginia Commonwealth University. The mission of the WRSP is to provide objective, reliable and comprehensive information about the world's diverse array of religious and spiritual groups. The central feature of the WRSP website is, therefore, profiles of contemporary religious and spiritual movements, established world religions, and historical religious and spiritual movements. Wherever possible, profiles are prepared by scholars of record for the groups that they profile. Each profile includes a presentation of the group's history, distinctive beliefs, rituals, organization and leadership, and issues/challenges. Particularly with respect to newer groups, reliable information often is less accessible, and this website offers comprehensive, balanced information for religion scholars, students, media representatives and those with a personal interest in understanding the diversity of religious and spiritual alternatives in the contemporary world."

Worldwide Religious News

World-Wide Religious News was established as a non-profit service in 2002 committed to providing the international academic and legal community ease of access to up-to-date news on religion from around the world. Throughout history, religion has proved to be a central component of society and human experience, shaping how individuals think and interact with their society and culture, both in an immediate as well as global context. WWRN’s service provides a nexus to information that highlights the unique interplay of religion and society and how this impacts the world of today.

Videos

See ICSA YouTube Channel.

ICSA members have access to additional videos from conferences and virtual events.

Overview of Cultic Studies Research. Rod Dubrow-Marshall, PhD

Brainwashing - Scientific Concept or Mere Label. Benjamin Zablock, PhD

Updating The Legal Concept of Undue Influence in the 21st Century. Alan Scheflin, JD, LLM

The Spectrum of Coercive Control. Rod Dubrow-Marshall, PhD