Free Zone Scientology: Contesting the Boundaries of a New Religion

Description

In this novel academic study, Aled Thomas analyses modern issues surrounding boundaries and fluidity in contemporary Scientology. By using the Scientologist practice of ‘auditing’ as a case study, this book explores the ways in which new types of ‘Scientologies’ can emerge. The notion of Free Zone Scientology is characterised by its horizontal structure, in contrast to the vertical-hierarchy of the institutional Church of Scientology. With this in mind, Thomas explores the Free Zone as an example of a developing and fluid religion, directly addressing questions concerning authority, leadership and material objects. This book, by maintaining a double-focus on the top-down hierarchy of the Church of Scientology and the horizontal-fluid nature of the Free Zone, breaks away from previous research on new religions, with have tended to focus either on new religions as indices of broad social processes, such as secularization or globalization, or as exemplars of exotic processes, such as charismatic authority and brainwashing. Instead, Thomas adopts auditing as a method of providing an in-depth case study of a new religion in transition and transformation in the 21st century. This opens the study of contemporary and new religions to a series of new questions around hybrid religions (sacred and secular), and acts as a framework for the study of similar movements formed in recent decades. Title Page Copyright Page Contents Figures Preface Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction: Researching ‘Scientologies’ The bigger picture: The study of ‘Scientologies’ Researching Scientologies: The methods Outline of chapters Part 1: From Scientology to Scientologies Chapter 2: The Church of Scientology and the ‘Free Zone’: A complex relationship The establishment of the Church of Scientology Captain Bill Robertson The Free Zone, squirrelling and suppressive persons Scientology and the media Concluding remarks Chapter 3: Auditing and the ‘tech’: The basics The tech and Scientologist nomenclature Study tech: Scientologist pedagogy Dianetic theory: Developing the tech The hybridity of auditing: The secular-scientific and the religious Concluding remarks Chapter 4: ‘You are YOU in a body’: Negotiating the self in Scientology Scientology, self-improvement and the existence of the self The ‘Parts of Man’: The thetan, the mind and the body The Purification Rundown: Church of Scientology and Free Zone perspectives Hubbard’s theoretical approaches to the self and auditing Gender: The sexless thetan? The Bridge to Total Freedom: Preclear, Clear and Operating Thetan Concluding remarks Part 2: Fluidity and boundaries Chapter 5: Authenticity and innovation: The ‘true tech’ and ‘mistakes by Hubbard’ The discourse of authenticity and innovation The authority of L. Ron Hubbard: The ‘source’ of the tech The alleged disappearance and death of L. Ron Hubbard David Miscavige: The contemporary leader of the Church of Scientology Standard Tech debate Contemporary auditing and Standard Tech in the Church of Scientology The Free Zone and the Golden Age of Knowledge and Tech Free Zone auditing and application of the tech ‘Squirrelling’ amongst the ‘squirrels’: Boundaries in Free Zone Scientology Concluding remarks Chapter 6: ‘Doing Scientology’: E-Meters, objects and material culture Religious objects, materials and things ‘A very peculiar instrument’: The E-Meter The E-Meter in the Free Zone Inside a Church of Scientology Org Concluding remarks Chapter 7: Moving forward: Reflections on Free Zone Scientology and the wider study of religions NRM studies and Religious Studies Free Zone fluidity and the breakdown of routinized charisma Lived religion, objects and ‘doing Scientology’ Concluding remarks Chapter 8: Conclusion Auditing and notions of self Authenticity and innovation: Standard tech, squirrelling and the control of Hubbard’s work Technology, devices and things Future studies of Scientology and contemporary religions Appendix A Appendix B Notes Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 References Index