This book complements Lewis's xford Handbook of New Religious Movements.The former provides an overview of the state of the field. This volume collectspapers on those specific New Religious Movements (NRMs) that have generated themost scholarly attention. With few exceptions, these organizations are also thecontroversial groups that have attracted the attention of the mass media, oftenbecause they have been involved in, or accused of, violent or anti-socialactivities. Among the movements to be profiled are such groups as the BranchDavidians, Heaven's Gate, Aum Shinrikyo, Solar Temple, Scientology, Falun Gongand many more. The book will function as a reference for scholars, as a text forcourses in NRMs, and will also appeal to non-specialists including reporters,law enforcement, public policy makers, and others.