Acknowledgements
This project would not have been possible
without the quality of memoirs that former
members have produced. Immense gratitude
goes to all the authors whose memoirs were
analyzed or considered for analysis. I would like
to thank Dr. Amy Kaler and Dr. Sara Dorow for
their guidance and comments throughout this
project. Additional thanks go to Dr. Stephen
Kent for his guidance and access to the Kent
Collection on Alternative Religions, which is
housed at the University of Alberta Library. This
project also benefited from Robin Willey’s
editorial comments. This research was supported
by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research
Council, the Isaak Walton Killam Memorial
Scholarship, and the University of Alberta’s
President’s Doctoral Prize of Distinction.
About the Author
Terra Anne Manca is a PhD candidate in
sociology at the University of Alberta under the
supervision of Professor Stephen A. Kent. Her
research interests include the sociology of
health, family, and new religious movements.
She has published in the following
journals: Journal of Religion and Popular
Culture Mental Health, Religion and Culture
Journal of Religion and Health Cultic Studies
Review and Marburg Journal of Religion. The
topics of these publications included the Lord’s
Resistance Army, Christian Scientists’ health
practices, and Scientology. Her dissertation will
discuss medical professionals’ experiences with
childhood vaccination uncertainties.
University of Alberta address: Department of
Sociology, 5-21 HM Tory Building University
of Alberta, Edmonton Alberta Canada T6G 2H4.
Email: tmanca@ualberta.ca
International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 6, 2015 33
This project would not have been possible
without the quality of memoirs that former
members have produced. Immense gratitude
goes to all the authors whose memoirs were
analyzed or considered for analysis. I would like
to thank Dr. Amy Kaler and Dr. Sara Dorow for
their guidance and comments throughout this
project. Additional thanks go to Dr. Stephen
Kent for his guidance and access to the Kent
Collection on Alternative Religions, which is
housed at the University of Alberta Library. This
project also benefited from Robin Willey’s
editorial comments. This research was supported
by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research
Council, the Isaak Walton Killam Memorial
Scholarship, and the University of Alberta’s
President’s Doctoral Prize of Distinction.
About the Author
Terra Anne Manca is a PhD candidate in
sociology at the University of Alberta under the
supervision of Professor Stephen A. Kent. Her
research interests include the sociology of
health, family, and new religious movements.
She has published in the following
journals: Journal of Religion and Popular
Culture Mental Health, Religion and Culture
Journal of Religion and Health Cultic Studies
Review and Marburg Journal of Religion. The
topics of these publications included the Lord’s
Resistance Army, Christian Scientists’ health
practices, and Scientology. Her dissertation will
discuss medical professionals’ experiences with
childhood vaccination uncertainties.
University of Alberta address: Department of
Sociology, 5-21 HM Tory Building University
of Alberta, Edmonton Alberta Canada T6G 2H4.
Email: tmanca@ualberta.ca
International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 6, 2015 33
