12 ICSA TODAY
By Michael Kropveld
This article is based on a presentation given at the Beijing International Academic Symposium on Cultic Groups and Religious Culture,
Beijing, China, August 15–16, 2015.
Info-Cult at 35:
Observations, Insights,
and Lessons Learned
In this article, the author, founding Executive Director of
Info-Cult, a nonprofit charitable organization based in
Montreal (Quebec, Canada), traces its 35-year history,
sharing observations and insights about cults, new religious
movements (NRMs) and related groups, and lessons
learned along the way. What is a cult? How can we best
understand whether or not a group can be defined as a cult
or be perceived as harmful? What questions should we ask
when evaluating a group and deciding whether or not to
intervene? What other considerations should we keep in
mind? This article addresses these questions, thereby helping
to broaden our understanding of cultic phenomena.1
By Michael Kropveld
This article is based on a presentation given at the Beijing International Academic Symposium on Cultic Groups and Religious Culture,
Beijing, China, August 15–16, 2015.
Info-Cult at 35:
Observations, Insights,
and Lessons Learned
In this article, the author, founding Executive Director of
Info-Cult, a nonprofit charitable organization based in
Montreal (Quebec, Canada), traces its 35-year history,
sharing observations and insights about cults, new religious
movements (NRMs) and related groups, and lessons
learned along the way. What is a cult? How can we best
understand whether or not a group can be defined as a cult
or be perceived as harmful? What questions should we ask
when evaluating a group and deciding whether or not to
intervene? What other considerations should we keep in
mind? This article addresses these questions, thereby helping
to broaden our understanding of cultic phenomena.1
