New Forms of Traditions and New Religious Movements

Common characteristic that CEE countries have recently shared with Western Europe is the extension of new religious movements (NRMs) and various unconventional forms of experiences of the sacred. This is the New Forms of Traditions and New Religious Movements sub-area’s goal to systematize the knowledge about NRMs, minor religious communities, esoteric groups, neopagan movements, new movements of Muslim origin, private forms of religiosity inspired from Hindu or Buddhist sources (or rather Western constructions of eastern religions). We also present social reactions to them, including counter-cult and anti-cult movements; reflections of traditional religions, parents and family members of NRMs adherents, nationalists, media, government officials, human rights activists, lawyers, and scholars; and mutual interactions between NRMs and the different States, in the CEE region. In this regard, the situation in five countries will be taken into account: Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia and the Czech Republic. Similarities and differences will be highlighted. Research results will be set in the broader context of trends visible in contemporary culture, such as secularization and desecularization trends, detraditionalization, individualization, privatization of religious values, and questions will be raised as to the CEE peculiarities in following all these tendencies in the realm of religion. Systematization of knowledge about NRM will contribute to broadening of educational materials. The communities’ perception of mutual relationship and position in society can point to the processes that are leading to tolerance or intolerance and xenophobia and their relations to changes in society. Besides sensitizing the general public, this can serve to enable policy makers to take into account the results of the research when making the decisions about these complex issues.

Dinka Marinović Jerolimov, Institute for Social Research of Zagreb (IDIZ), Croatia

Ankica Marinović Bobinac, Institute for Social Research of Zagreb (IDIZ), Croatia

Dorota Hall, Institute of Sociology, University of Warsaw (WU) – since 2008, Poland

Réka Szilárdi (SZTE)

Róbert Péter (SZTE)

Csongor Sárközy (SZTE)

Mario Marinov (NIS–SU)

Milan Fujda & Dušan Lužný (MU)