Brill Handbook of New Religions and Cultural Production: 4 (Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion, 4)

This volume fills a lacuna in the academic assessment of new religions by investigating their cultural products (such as music, architecture, food et cetera). Contributions explore the manifold ways in which new religions have contributed to humanitys creative output. Review "With this volume, Cusack and Norman have done a great service to scholars of new religions. It is both descriptively rich and informative and theoretically and methodologically suggestive." Kevin A. Whitesides, University of California, Santa Barbara, Nova Religio, Vol. 18, No. 2 "Anyone at all interested in the development and place of new religions in society, or in cultural studies in general, should ensure that they and others can have access to the book by persuading their libraries to purchase a copy." Eileen Barker, London School of Economics, International Journal for the Study of New Religions 5:2 "The quality of the contributions is high, in keeping with the standard set by previous entries into this series. [...] Within the specific region of the NRM field treated by the editors, the handbook serves as an important and valuable contribution, and will likely be useful for scholars of NRMs, particularly those working with cultural and social dimensions." Christopher A. Plaisance, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 41, No. 4 "The book is well edited, and the contributors have, albeit in different ways, managed to start a new chapter in the study of new religions. This makes the book most welcome. It "seeks to remedy a scholarly lacuna", as the editors state in their introduction, and that is what it does." Mikael Rothstein, University of Southern Denmark, Journal of Contemporary Religion 29:2 "The Handbook of New Religions and Cultural Production is actually extremely readable, providing a new dimension to the study of new religious movements (NRMs). [...] This Handbook is a most welcome introduction to an area which merits further exploration in NRM studies." George D. Chryssides, York St John University, Fieldwork in Religion 10:1 "Overall, this volume offers a kaleidoscopic look at some of the creative energy present in emerging from new religions and spiritualities and should be considered an essential addition to any religious studies scholar's personal or institutional library." Bernard Doherty, Macquarie University, Alternative Spirituality and Religion Review, Volume 5, Issue 1 "Some might consult this volume for its focus on certain religions, others for its commentary on specific products and many for the important conversation between the two that, if not made explicit in each chapter, is indicated by the sheer number of articles included here, and by the numerous articles that are sure to be inspired by what remains to be said. In all, it provides a significant contribution to the study of the creative and industrious exploits of new religious movements." Venetia Robertson, University of Sydney, Culture and Religion 14:4 "it offers an important complement to existing literature, and will be a necessary point of reference for those whose research or teaching involves new religious movements (NRMs). Even outside this specific audience, the questions raised and data addressed in this volume make it valuable reading for any scholars of religion who are trying to understand the bewildering range of existential orientations that have arisen in recent decades." Jack Tsonis, University of Western Sydney, Journal of Religious History, 2014 "This is an authoritative and exciting set of case studies on the many cultural products created and disseminated by the new religions in modern times. The collection is an impressive addition to the Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion and opens up new lines of enquiry into the societal impact of new religions. Chapters cover a fascinating array of new forms and products ranging from material artifacts, architecture, music, dance, die