Volume 2, 2021

IJCAM

Introduction to the IJCAM Special Edition: Comparative reflections on scientology and NXIVM

Canada
  • From slogans to mantras: Social protest and religious conversion in the late Vietnam War era. Kent, S. A. (2001). Syracuse University Press.
Published Date
November 10, 2021
Issue
DOI
10.54208/0002/002

Abstract

This special issue of the International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation is dedicated to articles about Scientology and NXIVM, so it offers an opportunity to present evidence, in an academic setting, about Scientology’s possible influence on Keith Raniere (b. 1960) and the organization that he founded. I provide, therefore, a summary of comments that former members and critics of both groups have made about the (alleged) Scientology influence on NXIVM, and I conclude with my own interpretations of why some apparent similarities exist between the two groups and their creators. I realize that my comments are only preliminary (pending the discovery of new information), and I identify some lacuna in both evidence and interpretation that further researchers may want to pursue.

More articles

The grooming of children for sexual abuse in religious settings: Unique characteristics and select case studies

Volume 3, 2022

Susan Raine, PhD
This article examines how religious authority, obedience, and spiritual fear enable child sexual grooming, using cross-faith case studies to show how abuse dynamics in religious settings differ from secular contexts.

Global violence of women in cults (reprint)

Volume 1, 2020

Helen Land
Women’s voices have been silenced throughout history. Nowhere is this more evident than in malevolent groups, also known as “cults,” in which women and girls are exploited and forced into submission for the pleasure of

Charles Manson: Cult leader, counterculture hero, and psychopath

Volume 8, 2025

M. Lane Jodi
This article analyzes Charles Manson through the lens of psychopathy, highlighting how his personality fueled both violence and influence.

Echoes of responsibility

Volume 5, 2023

Rod Dubrow-Marshall
This reflective article examines scholarly responsibility and dialogue in cultic studies, drawing on presentations at ICSA and CENSUR conferences to explore evolving perspectives on religious legitimacy and new religious movements.