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Series:   Elements in New Religious Movements

Children in New Religious Movements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2024

Sanja Nilsson
Sanja Nilsson
Affiliation:
Dalarna University

Summary

New Religious Movements have arisen not only in the present but have also developed in the past. While they differ in ideology and practice, they generally seem to live in high tension with mainstream society, especially when it comes to child-rearing. This Element examines several aspects of children growing up in new religions. It relies upon literature from different groups concerning child upbringing, the function of children in the groups considering the religious ideologies, and parental perspectives and parental styles. It also utilizes accounts from young adults growing up in these groups, both those who chose to stay and who chose to leave their groups as adults. A range of topics, such as socialization, education, health care, and relations to surrounding society are explored. In addition, this Element considers issues of physical and emotional abuse, state interventions, and the impact of second- and third generations of children in new religions.
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Keywords

new religious movementschildhoodreligious socializationreligious educationchild abuse
Type
Element
Information
Series: Elements in New Religious Movements
Online ISBN: 9781009067263
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication: 12 December 2024

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