17 VOLUME 6 |ISSUE 2 |2015
Note
[1] I prefer the term new religious movements (NRMs) instead of
cult, a word that, in the Italian language, has a very negative
evaluation. Cult is often used as a label against minority
religions. As I use the term, NRMs are nonconventional
or alternative religions, or faith, spiritual, or esoteric
movements, groups, or communities they also are new
movements within established religions or high-demand
groups that exhibit what have been termed sectarian or
cultic characteristics. Some of these groups are considered
(and in some cases are) controversial. These groups are
often called cults because they are perceived as dangerous
organizations that abuse their members in some way. I will
use the word cult when I refer to my past experience with
worried parents who asked me for help. According to those
parents, their adult children were involved in dangerous
organizations, which they named cults. I respect their
perception of the group as a cult. However, for the
reasons mentioned, I prefer the term NRM for it applies
to a wider variety of groups than does the term cult.
References
Burton, W. John. (1969). Conflict and communication: The use
of controlled communication in international relations. London,
England: Macmillan.
Di Marzio, Raffaella. (2010). Nuove religioni e sette. La psicologia
di fronte alle nuove forme di culto. Edizioni Scientifiche Ma.Gi.
Retrieved from http://nuovereligioniesette.blogspot.it/p/
presentazione-e-indice-del-libro.html
Di Marzio, Raffaella. (2010). Facing the “dark side” of cults—
balance of fifteen years’ experience. (Paper presented at the
CESNUR 2010 conference in Torino, Italy.) Retrieved from http://
www.cesnur.org/2010/to_dimarzio.htm
Doob, W. Leonard. (1970). Resolving conflict in Africa: Fermeda
Workshop. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Kelman, H. C. (1972). The problem-solving workshop in conflict
resolution. In R. L. Merritt (Ed.), Communication in international
politics (pp. 168–204). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois.
Kelman, H. C. (1978). Israelis and Palestinians: Psychological
prerequisites for mutual acceptance. International Security, 3(1),
162–186.
Kelman, H. C. (1987). The political psychology of the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict: How can we overcome the barriers to a
negotiated solution? Political Psychology, 8(3), 347–363.
Kelman, H. C. (1999). Transforming the relationship between
former enemies: A social-psychological analysis. In R. L. Rothstein
(Ed.), After the peace: Resistance and reconciliation (pp. 193–205).
Boulder, CO and London, England: Lynne Rienner.
Kelman, H. C. (2004). Reconciliation as identity change: A social
psychological perspective. In Y. Bar-Siman-Tov (Ed.), From conflict
resolution to reconciliation (111–124). Oxford, England: Oxford
University Press.
Kelman, H. C. (2005). Building trust among enemies: The central
challenge for international conflict resolution. International
Journal of Intercultural Relations, 29(6), 639–650.
Kelman, H. C. (2008). A social-psychological approach to conflict
analysis and resolution. In D. Sandole, S. Byrne, I. Sandole-
Staroste, &J. Senehi (Eds.), Handbook of conflict analysis and
resolution (170–183). London, England and New York, NY:
Routledge (Taylor &Francis).
Kelman, H. C. (2008). Evaluating the contributions of interactive
problem solving to the resolution of ethnonational conflicts.
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 14(1), 29–60.
Kelman, H. C. (2010). Peace research: Beginnings. In N. Young
(Ed.), The Oxford international encyclopedia of peace, vol. 3 (453-
458). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Kelman, H. C. (Oct. 2010). Conflict resolution and reconciliation:
A social-psychological perspective on ending violent
conflict between identity groups. Landscapes of Violence: An
Interdisciplinary Journal Devoted to the Study of Violence, Conflict,
and Trauma, 1(1), Article 5. Retrieved from http://scholar.harvard.
edu/hckelman/content/short-cv-0
Kelman, H. C., &Fisher, R. J. (2003). Conflict analysis and
resolution. In D. O. Sears, L. Huddy, &R. Jervis (Eds.), Oxford
handbook of political psychology (pp. 315–353). Oxford, England:
Oxford University.
Mitchell, C. (1996). Handbook of conflict resolution: The analytical
problem-solving approach. London, England: Pinter Pub Ltd.
Mitchell, C. (2001). From controlled communication to problem
solving: The origins of facilitated conflict resolution, International
Journal of Peace Studies, 6(1). Retrieved from http://www.gmu.
edu/programs/icar/ijps/vol6_1/Mitchell2.htm
About the Author
Raffaella Di Marzio, a PhD candidate
in Psychology of Religion at Pontifical
Salesian University in Rome, in 2001 set
up a Centre of Information on Cults, New
Religious Movements, Cult-Watching,
and Anticult Groups: Spiritualità Religioni
e Settarismi. She has BA degrees in
Psychology, Educational Science, History
of Religions, and Religious Science.
She has been a Catholic religion teacher in a senior high school
in Rome since 1981, and also has been Professor of Psychology
of Religion at the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences
“Auxilium” in Rome and is regularly invited to lecture at pontifical
and state universities. She is the secretary of the Executive
Committee of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief
(FOB) a member of the managing board of SIPR (Italian Society
of Psychology of Religion), the Editorial Board of Psychology of
Religion ejournal (PRej), and the International Association for
the Psychology of Religion (IAPR). She is ICSA Today’s news co-
correspondent for Italy. She has published extensively in this field
and is in demand as an expert for TV, radio shows, conferences,
and lectures. youtube.com/user/raffaelladimarzio#g/a)
dimarzio.info/en/articles/this-is-me.html n
Note
[1] I prefer the term new religious movements (NRMs) instead of
cult, a word that, in the Italian language, has a very negative
evaluation. Cult is often used as a label against minority
religions. As I use the term, NRMs are nonconventional
or alternative religions, or faith, spiritual, or esoteric
movements, groups, or communities they also are new
movements within established religions or high-demand
groups that exhibit what have been termed sectarian or
cultic characteristics. Some of these groups are considered
(and in some cases are) controversial. These groups are
often called cults because they are perceived as dangerous
organizations that abuse their members in some way. I will
use the word cult when I refer to my past experience with
worried parents who asked me for help. According to those
parents, their adult children were involved in dangerous
organizations, which they named cults. I respect their
perception of the group as a cult. However, for the
reasons mentioned, I prefer the term NRM for it applies
to a wider variety of groups than does the term cult.
References
Burton, W. John. (1969). Conflict and communication: The use
of controlled communication in international relations. London,
England: Macmillan.
Di Marzio, Raffaella. (2010). Nuove religioni e sette. La psicologia
di fronte alle nuove forme di culto. Edizioni Scientifiche Ma.Gi.
Retrieved from http://nuovereligioniesette.blogspot.it/p/
presentazione-e-indice-del-libro.html
Di Marzio, Raffaella. (2010). Facing the “dark side” of cults—
balance of fifteen years’ experience. (Paper presented at the
CESNUR 2010 conference in Torino, Italy.) Retrieved from http://
www.cesnur.org/2010/to_dimarzio.htm
Doob, W. Leonard. (1970). Resolving conflict in Africa: Fermeda
Workshop. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Kelman, H. C. (1972). The problem-solving workshop in conflict
resolution. In R. L. Merritt (Ed.), Communication in international
politics (pp. 168–204). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois.
Kelman, H. C. (1978). Israelis and Palestinians: Psychological
prerequisites for mutual acceptance. International Security, 3(1),
162–186.
Kelman, H. C. (1987). The political psychology of the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict: How can we overcome the barriers to a
negotiated solution? Political Psychology, 8(3), 347–363.
Kelman, H. C. (1999). Transforming the relationship between
former enemies: A social-psychological analysis. In R. L. Rothstein
(Ed.), After the peace: Resistance and reconciliation (pp. 193–205).
Boulder, CO and London, England: Lynne Rienner.
Kelman, H. C. (2004). Reconciliation as identity change: A social
psychological perspective. In Y. Bar-Siman-Tov (Ed.), From conflict
resolution to reconciliation (111–124). Oxford, England: Oxford
University Press.
Kelman, H. C. (2005). Building trust among enemies: The central
challenge for international conflict resolution. International
Journal of Intercultural Relations, 29(6), 639–650.
Kelman, H. C. (2008). A social-psychological approach to conflict
analysis and resolution. In D. Sandole, S. Byrne, I. Sandole-
Staroste, &J. Senehi (Eds.), Handbook of conflict analysis and
resolution (170–183). London, England and New York, NY:
Routledge (Taylor &Francis).
Kelman, H. C. (2008). Evaluating the contributions of interactive
problem solving to the resolution of ethnonational conflicts.
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 14(1), 29–60.
Kelman, H. C. (2010). Peace research: Beginnings. In N. Young
(Ed.), The Oxford international encyclopedia of peace, vol. 3 (453-
458). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Kelman, H. C. (Oct. 2010). Conflict resolution and reconciliation:
A social-psychological perspective on ending violent
conflict between identity groups. Landscapes of Violence: An
Interdisciplinary Journal Devoted to the Study of Violence, Conflict,
and Trauma, 1(1), Article 5. Retrieved from http://scholar.harvard.
edu/hckelman/content/short-cv-0
Kelman, H. C., &Fisher, R. J. (2003). Conflict analysis and
resolution. In D. O. Sears, L. Huddy, &R. Jervis (Eds.), Oxford
handbook of political psychology (pp. 315–353). Oxford, England:
Oxford University.
Mitchell, C. (1996). Handbook of conflict resolution: The analytical
problem-solving approach. London, England: Pinter Pub Ltd.
Mitchell, C. (2001). From controlled communication to problem
solving: The origins of facilitated conflict resolution, International
Journal of Peace Studies, 6(1). Retrieved from http://www.gmu.
edu/programs/icar/ijps/vol6_1/Mitchell2.htm
About the Author
Raffaella Di Marzio, a PhD candidate
in Psychology of Religion at Pontifical
Salesian University in Rome, in 2001 set
up a Centre of Information on Cults, New
Religious Movements, Cult-Watching,
and Anticult Groups: Spiritualità Religioni
e Settarismi. She has BA degrees in
Psychology, Educational Science, History
of Religions, and Religious Science.
She has been a Catholic religion teacher in a senior high school
in Rome since 1981, and also has been Professor of Psychology
of Religion at the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences
“Auxilium” in Rome and is regularly invited to lecture at pontifical
and state universities. She is the secretary of the Executive
Committee of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief
(FOB) a member of the managing board of SIPR (Italian Society
of Psychology of Religion), the Editorial Board of Psychology of
Religion ejournal (PRej), and the International Association for
the Psychology of Religion (IAPR). She is ICSA Today’s news co-
correspondent for Italy. She has published extensively in this field
and is in demand as an expert for TV, radio shows, conferences,
and lectures. youtube.com/user/raffaelladimarzio#g/a)
dimarzio.info/en/articles/this-is-me.html n
