RELIGION 319
Cults: New Religious Movements in America
Andrew Thomas Coates
Description from DukeHub
Brainwashing. Fanaticism. Charismatic leaders. New ideas. Are these the ingredients of a cult? This course offers critical perspectives on what new religious movements are, why they form, and why they are marginalized in contemporary America. The course focuses particularly on the representation of so-called 'cults,' examining how gender, race, and sexuality impact cultural perceptions of new religious movements in the United States. Students in this course will use film as a medium to think about the ways 'cults' get depicted as antagonists of 'religion.' They will make their own films and reflect on the challenges of depicting religious communities that are marginalized, controversial, and wary of outsiders.
Skills
- makingAI review: "They will make their own films"
AI-resilient: 1 of 5
- No: Physical, lab or field work
- No: Live work with people
- Yes: Judgment someone is accountable for · "ethical"
- No: A craft you practice with your hands or body
- No: Small, in-person format
The checks lean on Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025), which found generative AI applies least to physical work and hands-on work with people. A signal, not a promise. How the score works
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