| Abstrakt: |
In order to come to an interpretation of the Italian groups that can be ricollected to the « new religions » which appeared in the Wester industrial countries in the 70's (Unitarian Church, Scientologic Church, Iskon, Ananda Marga, Rajnees-hism, Transcendental Meditation) the author revises the available descriptive studies and suggests an ideal-typical classification of the relationship existing among the symbolic-religious universes, the representation of history-society, expressive practices (ritual, ascetic, relational). The leading concept is that the integration of these new religious movements in the Italian society is to be linked to the reactions of the middle-aged generations to the crisis of the national, cultural and religious system. In the light of the ideal-typical proposal anyway, it will be difficult to specify whether these new groups are to be considered as a true socio-cultural challenge to the system or rather as the expression of the need to desert or to comply with our shattered social system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
