Citation:
Harvey, Sarah, and Suzanne Newcombe. 2023.“Empowerment and Abuse: Gender and Sexuality in Two Syncretistic NRMs”. in Uses and Abuses of Power in Alternative Spiritualities. Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract:
Abstract: In this paper, we will focus on exploring the complex power dynamics in two case studies in which the leaders of small, syncretistic religious movements abused their followers. Mohan Singh and Ali X used idiosyncratic religious teachings to justify abuse of followers, including sexual abuse of female members. We will focus on some of the key structural (such as leadership and membership structure) and cultural factors (such as teachings on gender, sexuality, purification and health and healing) within the movements which enabled this abuse. We will also explore stories of empowerment and agency from former members, as well as enduring ambivalent views of the two leaders.Presenter bios: Sarah Harvey is the Senior Research Officer at Inform and a Research Associate on the ‘Abuse in Religious Contexts’ project. In this project, she is looking at Inform’s data on abuse in minority religions. She also has interests in millennialism and health - her PhD research was on natural pregnancy and birth practices. Suzanne Newcombe is the Director of Inform and a Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies at the Open University. She has expertise in movements with origins or inspirations from Asian and Indian traditions as well as intersections with health and healing. Her PhD research was on the modern history of yoga and she is a leading expert in this field.
Presenter affiliations: Inform (Harvey and Newcombe), King's College London (Harvey and Newcombe), the University of Kent (Harvey), and the Open University (Newcombe)