Instructor: Dr. Zara Browne is an anthropologist who dedicated her doctoral research to the Irish Traveller community of Murphy Village in North Augusta, SC. She specializes in nomadic and separatist communities. Zara's work in Murphy Village has been featured in multiple news outlets, including The Post and Courier and Augusta Today. Description: We hear about the latest “cults” on the news, TV, and film, but what exactly is a “cult?” Anthropologists refer to “cults” as New Religious Movements (NRMs). In this two-session course, you will learn about the definition(s) and criteria that constitute NRMs, and a brief historical overview of NRMs, especially in the United States. We will touch upon the most common backgrounds and mental health contexts of both those who are drawn to NRMs and those who want to lead them. Finally, we will review a few case studies of some of the most well-known NRMs in U.S. history and how (or if) they ended.