We have made adjustments to our bookstore program, www.cultinfobooks.com.  These should eliminate the occasional problems that some of you reported to us.  If you should have difficulties in ordering on the bookstore, please let us know so we can address the issue.  Tell us the specific nature of the problem, your operating system (e.g., Windows 98), and the type and version of your Internet browser (e.g., Explorer 6.0).  Thank you.

We hope to add new products soon.  More in upcoming Newsletters.

____________________________________________ ^

Jehovah’s Witness Program

Paul Carden, coordinator of the program on JWs, has identified two additional speakers to join him and Dr. Jerry Bergman, author of many articles on the JW.  Barbara Anderson was a member of Jehovah's Witnesses from 1954 to 1997 and worked at Watchtower headquarters in Brooklyn, NY from 1982-1992, where she was a writer-researcher for the movement's Awake! magazine and its official history (published 1993). She has done extensive research on issues related to sexual abuse within the Watchtower.  William H. Bowen is the president of Silentlambs, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to helping survivors of abuse. A second-generation Jehovah's Witness, he has been active in the movement for 43 years and served as an elder starting in 1985.

Mr. Carden, who is also coordinating a program on research in Latin America, has identified the following additional speakers to join him and Drs. Mascarenas and Erdely: Dr. Lourdes Arguelles, Ph.D. (New York University) is Professor of Women Studies and Education at Claremont Graduate University, California. A leading voice in human rights for Latino immigrants in the United States, she currently researches in the fields of interdisciplinary studies, communities, and the impact of religious globalization. She holds a post-graduate certification in clinical psychology from the University of York, Canada, and has worked extensively as a psychotherapist for political refugees from around the world who have been victims of torture and terrorism.  Anne Rivero, MSW is a psychiatric social worker at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, where she has worked with adult survivors of domestic and political abuse for more than a decade.

We are pleased to announce that we will have a program on cults and terrorism.  It will be led by Hal Mansfield, M.A., Director of the Religious Movement Resource Center.  Mr. Mansfield has 23 years experience investigating/researching destructive groups.  He has conducted numerous workshops/trainings to agencies about hate groups and destructive cults.  The center has the largest library in the Rocky Mountain area on hate groups and destructive cults and networks with a large number of other agencies looking at hate groups and bias crime.

We hope to post biographical sketches of all conference presenters during the next month or so.  In the meantime, you can examine presenters’ affiliations at http://www.cultinfobooks.com/infoserv_events/2002orlando/aff_conference_2002presenters.htm

 ____________________________________________ ^

Two books by Nori Muster

Two more books by Nori Muster, former ISKCON member and author of Betrayal of the Spirit, are now available:

Cult Survivor's Handbook: How to Live in the Material World Again, a self-help book for recovering ex-cult members, offers advice from the fields of family therapy, abuse recovery, depth psychology, the Twelve Steps, mind-body healing, creative art therapy and Gestalt.

Spiritual Summer: A Novel. Seventeen-year-old Sandy Edinburgh is heading back to San Francisco, disappointed that the Topanga Art Camp closed, ruining her summer plans. When she gets a chance to live in an exotic Eastern temple for the summer, she decides to do it. These manuscripts are available free at: http://surrealist.org/norimuster/index.html

Articles on Therapeutic Touch and “Energy” Healing

Janet Davies recommends the following:

Susan Anthony Salladay, RN, PhD (Director of the Center for Bioeithics at the Bryan LGH Medical Center, Lincoln, NE),  "Healing is Believing: Postmodernism Impacts Nursing",  SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE, Spring/Summer 2000, Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY (Wallace Sampson, MD, ed.), pp. 39-47.

Donal P. O'Mathuna, PhD. (Professor of Bioethics & Chemistry, Mount Carmel College of Nursing, Columbus, OH), "Evidence-Based Practice and Reviews of Therapeutic Touch", JOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Third Quarter 2000, pp. 279-284.

 ____________________________________________ ^

CSR Getting Help Column

Cultic Studies Review would like to publish columns offering practical advice to former group members, family members, and helping professionals.  Please send in specific questions that you would like to see experts answer.  Identities of questioners will be kept confidential.  Thank you.

Rachel Bernstein, MSEd., MFT

Rachel Bernstein, formerly of the Cult Clinic of Los Angeles, the Maynard Bernstein Resource Center on Cults, and the Cult Hotline and Clinic in New York, has opened a private practice in the Los Angeles area. Former cult members, and families who have loved ones in cults, make up approximately 70% of her practice. She runs a former member support group twice per month, as well. Rachel has spoken about cults recently at local synagogues and colleges, and to a class at one of the state universities in California.

Religioscope.com

On April 3^rd, Religioscope.com announced that, among other articles, it had posted an interview in French with Massimo Introvigne on the religious situation in Italy: “La situation religieuse en Italie: l'Etat et les religions. Un entretien très documenté avec Massimo Introvigne.”

Alexandra Stein

A doctoral student in sociology at the University of Minnesota, Alex Stein recently was a guest lecturer on totalist systems for a social psychology class at the university.  She is also pleased to announce that her book, Inside Out, a memoir of her years in a left-wing political cult, is coming out in September 2002 from North Star Press of St. Cloud.

Janja Lalich, Ph.D.

In January Dr. Lalich was interviewed and quoted in the San Jose Mercury News in a story about John Walker Lindh, the so-called American Taliban.

In April, she will present at the Pacific Sociological Association in Vancouver, BC at a panel on "Issues in Theory: Micro-Macro and Agency and Structure." Her paper is entitled: "Bounded Choice: Structure and Agency in Two New Social Movement Organizations." The paper is based on her dissertation research and forthcoming book, Bounded Choice: The Dilemma of True Believers and Charismatic Commitment, to be published by The University of California Press.

In January California State University, Chico State gave Dr. Lalich two grants to work on her book: a $3,300 grant from Behavioral Sciences Strategic Funds and The Elizabeth Douvan Post-doctoral Development Award, a $1,000 grant (she was the first recipient of the latter).

Dr. Lalich is also pleased to announce that in the Fall 2002 semester she will become a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at California State University, Chico.

Arthur Dole, Ph.D.

Dr. Arthur Dole has contributed a chapter, "Terrorism and Cults," to a forthcoming book, The Psychology of Terrorism, edited by Chris Stout, published by Praeger/Greenwood.

Lita Linzer Schwartz, Ph.D.

Dr. Schwartz wrote the Epilogue for Puritan Children in Exile, showing in what ways the very strict Puritan life-style was not an example of a cult - especially for the children. The author of the book is Gerald G. Johnson, and it was just published (Feb. 2002) by Heritage Books in Maryland.

Father James LeBar

Father James LeBar recently addressed public school teachers in Aruba.  The bishop there has asked Father LeBar to return later in the year to set up educational programs.  Father LeBar will also address an international conference of exorcists in Rome in July.

Anita Solomon, Ph.D.

Dr. Anita O. Solomon will be Chairing a Panel at the VIth International Conference on Social Values Directed by Dr. Samuel Natale, OXSVEB, held at Oxford University, England during the month of July 3 - 6, 2002. Title of Panel: "Models of Teaching Character Development While Resolving Violent Acts."  Dr. Solomon has also recently been appointed by the Governor to serve on the State of Maryland Governor's Mental Health Advisory Council.

Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D.

Professor Douglas Groothuis of Denver Seminary is teaching a course on “New Religious Movements.”  His syllabus includes a list of recommended reading on the New Age.  Contact Dr. Groothuis if you would like a copy of the syllabus: Douglasgro@aol.com

 ____________________________________________ ^