Survival strategies of new religions in a secular consumer society: a case study from Estonia
In this article, I argue that in contemporary neoliberal consumer societies, traditional religious missionizing activity is superseded by religious branding and marketing. An example of this at a national level is Estonia, a small secular society in Europe where the majority of the population define...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
[2017]
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| In: |
Nova religio
Year: 2017, Volume: 20, Issue: 3, Pages: 57-73 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Estonia
/ New religion
/ Secularism
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| RelBib Classification: | AZ New religious movements KBK Europe (East) |
| Summary: | In this article, I argue that in contemporary neoliberal consumer societies, traditional religious missionizing activity is superseded by religious branding and marketing. An example of this at a national level is Estonia, a small secular society in Europe where the majority of the population defines itself as religiously unaffiliated. Over the last quarter-century, Estonia has been characterized by neoliberal reforms and governance and has seen the creation of a religious or spiritual marketplace. I examine three strategies for survival in this marketplace by using three examples: a native Neopagan association with legal status as a religious association; a Kriya Yoga community with legal entity status as a non-profit association; and a Neo-Tantric organization with legal entity status as a regular business enterprise. I show that despite the differences in their approaches, each case shows how branding and marketing are increasingly important for new religious groups seeking to establish a successful presence in contemporary neoliberal consumer society. |
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| ISSN: | 1092-6690 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Nova religio
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