This volume addresses the key features of new religions, such as Scientology, the Moonies and Jihadist movements, from a systematic, comparative perspective.

Introduction to New Religious Movements Olav Hammer and Mikael Rothstein; Part I. Social Science Perspectives: 1. The sociology of New Religious Movements David Bromley; 2. Religion and the Internet Douglas Cowan; 3. Major controversies involving New Religious Movements: a comparative perspective James Richardson; Part II. Themes: 4. History and the end of time in New Religions Garry Trompf; 5. Charismatic leaders in New Religions Catherine Wessinger; 6. Rituals in New Religions Graham Harvey; 7. Canonical and extracanonical texts in New Religions Mikael Rothstein and Olav Hammer; Part III. New Religions in the West and Beyond: 8. Scientology: up stat, down stat James Lewis; 9. Neo-Paganism Sabina Magliocco; 10. The International Raelian Movement Susan J. Palmer and Bryan Sentes; 11. The Sathya Sai Baba Movement Tulasi Srinivas; 12. Neo-Sufism Mark Sedgwick; 13. Satanism Asbjørn Dyrendal and Jesper Aagaard Pedersen; 14. Theosophy James Santucci; 15. The New Age George Chryssides; 16. 'Jihadism' as a New Religious Movement Reuven Firestone; 17. New Religions in the New Russia Marat Shterin; 18. New Religious Movements in sub-Saharan Africa Peter Clarke.