Cults and New Religious Movements

Lifelong Learning | Registration opens 5/1/2025 9:00 AM EDT

9000 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15237 United States
PSC 101
5/21/2025-6/18/2025
11:00 AM-12:30 PM EDT on Wed

Cults and New Religious Movements

Lifelong Learning | Registration opens 5/1/2025 9:00 AM EDT

What are the differences between a cult and a religious movement? This course will explore examples of famous (and not-so-famous) cults and investigate why individuals are drawn to them. Together, we will discuss how understanding the formation of these communities helps us better understand our own cultural, social, and historical landscapes. We will also explore why it is important to be cautious of sensationalist portrayals or reporting about cults and spiritual communities.

 

Our classes will be divided into two parts. The first will focus on learning about a specific cult/religious movement; we will watch or listen to interviews with members or segments of documentary clips discussing the community. The second half of the class will be framed around our own discussions and questions about what it means to live in a “cult” community.

Annie Malady

Annie Malady is Part-Time Faculty in Point Park University’s Department of Literature, Culture, and Society and a Professional Writing Tutor at La Roche University. They received a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Arts in English from Boston College.

Annie has taught Writing and Composition courses since 2019 and worked with community organizations addressing social inequities, such as food insecurity, in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Honolulu. They are passionate about using writing as a tool to critically examine our lived world and foster meaningful connections to each other.