Regulating Religion: Case Studies from Around the Globe presents, through the inclusion of contributions by international scholars, a global examination of how a number of contemporary societies are regulating religious groups. It focuses on legal efforts to exert social control over such groups, especially through court cases, but also with selected major legislative attempts to regulate them. As such, this analysis falls within the broad area of the sociology of social control and more specifically, legal social control, a topic of great interest when studying how contemporary societies attempt to maintain social order. The factual details about social and legal developments in societies where religion has been defined as problematic include Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.

This book will be of interest to researchers and students in the sociology of religion, the sociology of law, social policy, and religious studies as well as policy makers.

Inhalt

1. Regulating Religion: A Sociological and Historical Introduction; J.T. Richardson. * I: Special Problem Areas in Western Europe. 2. `Laïcité, Dystopia' and the Reaction to New Religious Movements in France; J.A. Beckford. 3. Anti-Cultism in the French Parliament: Desperate Last Stand or an Opportune Leap Forward? A Critical Analysis of the 12 June 2001 Act; C. Dulvert. 4. Is there a Unique French Policy of Cults?: A European Perspective; N. Luca. 5. Holy Mountains and Anti-Cult Ecology: The Campaign against the Aumist Religion in France; M. Introvigne. 6. The German Enquete Commission on Sects: Political Conflicts and Compromises; H. Seiwert. 7. Germany's Islamic Minority: Some Remarks on the Historical and Legal Developments; W. Aires. 8. Belgium's Anti-Sect Policy; W. Fautre. 9. Pseudoscience versus Minority Religions: An Evaluation of the Brainwashing Theories of Jean-Marie Abgrall; D. Anthony, T. Robbins. 10. Brainwashing Theories in European Parliamentary and Administrative Reports on Cults and Sects; J.T. Richardson, M. Introvigne. 11. The Twelve Tribes Messianic Communities, the Ant-Cult Movement, and Governmental Response; J.A. Swantko. * II: More Tolerant European Countries. 12. New Religions in the Republic of Italy; M.W. Homer. 13. Foredoomed to Failure: The Anti-Cult Movement in the Netherlands; R. Singelenberg. 14. Regulating New Religions in Denmark; M. Rothstein. 15. Social Justice and Minority Religions in Prison: The Case of England and Wales; J.A.Beckford. * III: Former Communist Countries and the Treatment of Minority Religions. 16. Legal Regulation of Religions in Russia: New Developments; J.T. Richardson, G.A. Krylova, M.S. Shterin. 17. New Religious Movements and the State in Poland; T. Doktór. 18. Anti-Cult Movements and the Governmental Reports on Sects and Cults: The Case of Poland; A.Z. Kościańska. 19. Freedom of Religion and Minority Religions in Hungary; B. Schanda. 20. Law and Religion in the Czech Republic: Recent Developments; L. Muller. 21. Religion and Society in Tension in Croatia: Social and Legal Status of Religious Communities; S. ZrinSčak. 22. Religion and Law in Uzbekistan: Renaissance and Repression in the Authoritarian Context; R.R. Hanks. * IV: Australia, India and the Far East. 23. Social Justice Issues in Management of Religious Diversity in Australia; G.D. Bouma. 24. The Rehabilitation and Regulation of Religion in Singapore; M. Hill. 25. Cult Controversies and Legal Developments Concerning New Religions in Japan and China; J.T. Richardson, B. Edelman. 26. Religion, Law, and Minorities in India: Problems with Judicial Regulation; B. Rao. * V: North and South America. 27. Public Management of Religious Diversity in Canada: Development of Technocratic Pluralism; P. Côté. 28. The Legal Situation if Religious Minorities in Mexico: The Current Situation, Problems, and Conflicts; C. Garma Navarro. 29. Cult Controversies and Government Control of New Religious Movements in Argentina,