In a historic decision of June 7, the judges denounced the Russian concept of “extremism” as a tool used to violate religious liberty.
Massimo Introvigne
Exorcizing the Atomic Bomb Through the Arts. 2. Italy’s Nuclear Art Movement
Milan’s “Movimento Arte Nucleare” and Livorno’s Eaismo believed that a new “nuclear art” was a needed response to the fear of the bomb.
In Search of China’s Secret Societies. 6. The Once and Future Secret Society
The religious and ritual features of groups such as the Tiandihui did not resist the competition of Christianity, Communism, and the new religions. In the end, only the criminal element remained.
In Search of China’s Secret Societies. 5. Secular Brotherhoods or Religious “Cults”?
Confusion and ambiguity in the use of “fandong huidaomen” (reactionary secret societies) and “xie jiao” (heterodox teachings) has persisted to this day.
Exorcizing the Atomic Bomb Through the Arts. 1. The Case of Dalí
The Spanish artist was the first to react to Hiroshima, and to conclude that the new “atomic era” had something to do with religion.
The Ninth Circle, QAnon, and Clotilde Bersone: A New-Old Conspiracy Theory. 6. Old Hoaxes Never Die
While we can speculate on who really authored the story of Bersone and the Ninth Circle, its most surprising feature is that it is still mentioned after one century.
In Search of China’s Secret Societies. 4. “Primitive Revolutionaries”?
Both Sun Yat-Sen and some Marxists interpreted at least certain societies as forms of political or social rebellion.
In Search of China’s Secret Societies. 3. The Tiandihui Goes Criminal
By the 19th century, the society operated a wide range of criminal enterprises in several continents. But esoteric rituals were never forgotten.
The Ninth Circle, QAnon, and Clotilde Bersone: A New-Old Conspiracy Theory. 5. Debunking a Hoax
What is known about the American President Garfield is enough to conclude that “The Elected of the Dragon” is just a work of fiction.
The Ninth Circle, QAnon, and Clotilde Bersone: A New-Old Conspiracy Theory. 4. The Fall of Garfield and Clotilde
The is no happy end in “The Elected of the Dragon.” Both Clotilde and her lover, American President Garfield, incur the wrath of the Ninth Circle.
Massimo Introvigne
Massimo Introvigne (born June 14, 1955 in Rome) is an Italian sociologist of religions. He is the founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), an international network of scholars who study new religious movements. Introvigne is the author of some 70 books and more than 100 articles in the field of sociology of religion. He was the main author of the Enciclopedia delle religioni in Italia (Encyclopedia of Religions in Italy). He is a member of the editorial board for the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion and of the executive board of University of Pennsylvania Press’ Nova Religio. From January 5 to December 31, 2011, he has served as the "Representative on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, with a special focus on discrimination against Christians and members of other religions" of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). From 2012 to 2015 he served as chairperson of the Observatory of Religious Liberty, instituted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to monitor problems of religious liberty on a worldwide scale.