From Slogans to Mantras

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From Slogans to Mantras
Hardcover Edition
Book cover, Hardcover ed.
Author Stephen A. Kent
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Subject(s) Religion, Social activism
Genre(s) Non-fiction
Publisher Syracuse University Press
Publication date October 2001
Media type Hardcover
Pages 224
ISBN ISBN 0815629230 , ISBN 978-0815629238

From Slogans to Mantras: Social Protest and Religious Conversion in the Late Vietnam War Era is a non-fiction book by sociologist Stephen A. Kent. The book was published in both hardcover and paperback editions, in 2001. Benjamin Zablocki provided the foreword to the work[1].

From Slogans to Mantras was cited by Choice as an Outstanding Academic Title that should be owned by every library[2].

Contents

[edit] Reception

Publishers Weekly described the work as a "lucid and economical study", noting that Kent had examined the covergence between the interest of American youth in radical politics and protest - and the pursuit of: "unusual, cultish, spiritual traditions."[3] Overbeck writes in Library Journal that the work is recommended for academic and public libraries, mentioning that Kent utilized personal narratives and alternative press in the book[4]. Whitsett reviewed the book in Cultic Studies Review[1], writing that it contained informative content, and is an easy read free of sociological jargon which made it more accessible to non-expert readers. However, Whitsett also notes that it would have been interesting to compare those that did not choose the route of the ex-members described in the work, and to analyze the differences inherent in these two subsets of individuals[1]. Gill reviewed the book in Humanities and Social Sciences Online and also commented on the readability of the work, stating that it was succinctly written and engaging[5], and is a useful addition to courses on American religious history.

Williams reviewed the book in The Journal of American History, and provided a less positive review[6]. He noted that Kent analyzed groups that have been referred to as both cults and new religious movements, including David Berg's Children of God, Guru Maharaj Ji's Divine Light Mission, the Unification Church, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Scientology, Transcendental meditation, and others[6]. Williams concluded his review by stating that the work was a "mildly interesting and useful footnote to the sixties", but he wished the book had gone further than that[6]. Massimo Introvigne also gave the work a critical review which was published on his CESNUR Web site[7]. Introvigne referred to what he described as "the author’s well-known harsh criticism of NRMs" (new religious movements)[7]. However, Introvigne did state that the book was interesting reading, and that the discussion started by Kent on the postpolitical fate of 1960s activists is important and should be expanded upon[7].

[edit] Cited by other works

From Slogans to Mantras is cited by Oppenheimer's Knocking on Heaven's Door[8], as well as Gallagher's The New Religious Movements Experience In America[9], Jenkins' Decade of Nightmares[10], Boucher's Dancing in the Dharma[11], Perone's Music of the Counterculture Era[12], Spilka's Psychology of Religion[13], Stark's Exploring the Religious Life[14], and Beckford's Social Theory and Religion[15].

[edit] External links

Official

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Whitsett, Doni (2002). "Reviews: From Slogans to Mantras: Social Protest and Religious Conversion in the Late Vietnam War Era". Cultic Studies Review 1 (3). 
  2. ^ Bartlett, Rebecca Ann (2003). Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles, 1998-2002. Association of College & Research Libraries, 571, 601, 621. ISBN 0838982328. 
  3. ^ Staff. Publishers Weekly. 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc., Review, From Slogans to Mantras. 
  4. ^ Overbeck, James A.. Library Journal. Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, Atlanta, Georgia: 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc., Review, From Slogans to Mantras. 
  5. ^ Jill K. Gill . "Review of Stephen A. Kent, From Slogans to Mantras: Social Protest and Religious Conversion in the Late Vietnam War Era," H-AmRel, H-Net Reviews, July, 2002. URL: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=196341029215872.
  6. ^ a b c Williams, Peter W. (March 2003). "Book Review, From Slogans to Mantras". The Journal of American History 89 (4). 
  7. ^ a b c Massimo Introvigne, Getting Unsaved from the Sixties: Stephen Kent’s "From Slogans to Mantras", retrieved 11-05-2007.
  8. ^ Oppenheimer, Mark (October 1, 2003). Knocking on Heaven's Door. Yale University Press, 304. ISBN 0300100248. 
  9. ^ Gallagher, Eugene V. (2004). The New Religious Movements Experience In America. Greenwood Press, 33, 260. ISBN 0313328072. 
  10. ^ Jenkins, Philip (2006). Decade of Nightmares. Oxford University Press, 295, 298. ISBN 0195178661. 
  11. ^ Boucher, Sandy (2005). Dancing in the Dharma. Beacon Press, 230, 234. ISBN 0807073180. 
  12. ^ Perone, James E. (2004). Music of the Counterculture Era. Greenwood Press, 193. ISBN 0313326894. 
  13. ^ Spilka, Bernard (2003). Psychology of Religion. Guilford Press, 592. ISBN 1572309016. 
  14. ^ Stark, Rodney (2004). Exploring the Religious Life. Johns Hopkins University Press, 196. ISBN 0801878446. 
  15. ^ Beckford, James A. (2003). Social Theory and Religion. Cambridge University Press, 234. ISBN 0521774314.