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

Thomas, Aled

ISBN 10: 1350333255 / ISBN 13: 9781350333253

Published by Bloomsbury Academic, 2026

About this Item

Seller Inventory # V9781350333253

Bibliographic Details

• Title: ?Cult? Rhetoric in the 21st Century: Deconstructing the Study of New Religious Movements (Religion at the Boundaries)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1350333255
• ISBN 13: 9781350333253
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

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.

About the Authors

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).

Suzanne Newcombe is Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies, at The Open University, UK andHonorary Director of Inform.

Edward Graham-Hyde is a Visiting Fellow with the Centre for Religion in Public Life at the University of Leeds, UK, as well as Assistant Director (Research) with The Salvation Army, UK & Ireland.

Sarah Harvey is Senior Research Officer at Inform.