From Slogans to Mantras

Infobox Book
name = From Slogans to Mantras
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Book cover, Hardcover ed.
author = Stephen A. Kent
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = USA
language = English
series =
subject = Religion, Social activism
genre = Non-fiction
publisher = Syracuse University Press
release_date = October 2001
english_release_date =
media_type = Hardcover
pages = 224
isbn = ISBN 0815629230 , ISBN 978-0815629238
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"From Slogans to Mantras: Social Protest and Religious Conversion in the Late Vietnam War Era" is a non-fiction book by sociologist Stephen A. Kent. The book was published in both hardcover and paperback editions, in 2001. Benjamin Zablocki provided the foreword to the work.

"From Slogans to Mantras" was cited by "Choice" as an Outstanding Academic Title that should be owned by every library [cite book
last = Bartlett
first = Rebecca Ann
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles, 1998-2002
publisher = Association of College & Research Libraries
date = 2003
location =
pages = 571, 601, 621
url =
doi =
isbn = 0838982328 ] .

Reception

"Publishers Weekly" described the work as a "lucid and economical study", noting that Kent had examined the covergence between the interest of American youth in radical politics and protest - and the pursuit of: "unusual, cultish, spiritual traditions." [cite book
last = Staff
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Publishers Weekly
publisher = 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
date =
location =
pages = Review, "From Slogans to Mantras"
url =
doi =
id = ] Overbeck writes in "Library Journal" that the work is recommended for academic and public libraries, mentioning that Kent utilized personal narratives and alternative press in the book [cite book
last = Overbeck
first = James A.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Library Journal
publisher = 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
date =
location = Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, Atlanta, Georgia
pages = Review, From Slogans to Mantras
url =
doi =
id = ] . Whitsett reviewed the book in "Cultic Studies Review"cite journal
last = Whitsett
first = Doni
authorlink = Doni Whitsett
coauthors =
title = Reviews: "From Slogans to Mantras: Social Protest and Religious Conversion in the Late Vietnam War Era"
journal = Cultic Studies Review
volume = 1
issue = 3
pages =
publisher =
date = 2002
url = http://www.icsahome.com/infoserv_bookreviews/bkrev_fromsloganstomantras.htm
doi =
id =
accessdate = ] , writing that it contained informative content, and is an easy read free of sociological jargon which made it more accessible to non-expert readers. However, Whitsett also notes that it would have been interesting to compare those that did not choose the route of the ex-members described in the work, and to analyze the differences inherent in these two subsets of individuals. Gill reviewed the book in "Humanities and Social Sciences Online" and also commented on the readability of the work, stating that it was succinctly written and engaging [Jill K. Gill . "Review of Stephen A. Kent, From Slogans to Mantras: Social Protest and Religious Conversion in the Late Vietnam War Era," H-AmRel, H-Net Reviews, July, 2002. URL: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=196341029215872.] , and is a useful addition to courses on American religious history.

Williams reviewed the book in "The Journal of American History", and provided a less positive reviewcite journal
last = Williams
first = Peter W.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Book Review, "From Slogans to Mantras"
journal = The Journal of American History
volume = 89
issue = 4
pages =
publisher =
date = March 2003
url =
doi =
id =
accessdate = ] . He noted that Kent analyzed groups that have been referred to as both cults and new religious movements, including David Berg's Children of God, Guru Maharaj Ji's Divine Light Mission, the Unification Church, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Scientology, Transcendental meditation, and others. Williams concluded his review by stating that the work was a "mildly interesting and useful footnote to the sixties", but he wished the book had gone further than that. Massimo Introvigne also gave the work a critical review which was published on his CESNUR Web siteMassimo Introvigne, [http://www.cesnur.org/2002/mi_kent.htm Getting Unsaved from the Sixties: Stephen Kent’s "From Slogans to Mantras"] , retrieved 11-05-2007.] . Introvigne referred to what he described as "the author’s well-known harsh criticism of NRMs" (new religious movements). However, Introvigne did state that the book was interesting reading, and that the discussion started by Kent on the postpolitical fate of 1960s activists is important and should be expanded upon.

Cited by other works

"From Slogans to Mantras" is cited by Oppenheimer's "Knocking on Heaven's Door" [cite book
last = Oppenheimer
first = Mark
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Knocking on Heaven's Door
publisher = Yale University Press
date = October 1, 2003
location =
pages = 304
url =
doi =
isbn = 0300100248] , as well as Gallagher's "The New Religious Movements Experience In America" [cite book
last = Gallagher
first = Eugene V.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The New Religious Movements Experience In America
publisher = Greenwood Press
date = 2004
location =
pages = 33, 260
url =
doi =
isbn = 0313328072 ] , Jenkins' "Decade of Nightmares" [cite book
last = Jenkins
first = Philip
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Decade of Nightmares
publisher = Oxford University Press
date = 2006
location =
pages = 295, 298
url =
doi =
isbn = 0195178661] , Boucher's "Dancing in the Dharma" [cite book
last = Boucher
first = Sandy
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Dancing in the Dharma
publisher = Beacon Press
date = 2005
location =
pages = 230, 234
url =
doi =
isbn = 0807073180 ] , Perone's "Music of the Counterculture Era" [cite book
last = Perone
first = James E.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Music of the Counterculture Era
publisher = Greenwood Press
date = 2004
location =
pages = 193
url =
doi =
isbn = 0313326894 ] , Spilka's "Psychology of Religion" [cite book
last = Spilka
first = Bernard
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Psychology of Religion
publisher = Guilford Press
date = 2003
location =
pages = 592
url =
doi =
isbn = 1572309016] , Stark's "Exploring the Religious Life" [cite book
last = Stark
first = Rodney
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Exploring the Religious Life
publisher = Johns Hopkins University Press
date = 2004
location =
pages = 196
url =
doi =
isbn = 0801878446 ] , and Beckford's "Social Theory and Religion" [cite book
last = Beckford
first = James A.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Social Theory and Religion
publisher = Cambridge University Press
date = 2003
location =
pages = 234
url =
doi =
isbn = 0521774314 ] .

External links

;Official
* [http://www.syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu/2001/from-slogans.html Syracuse University Press] , Publisher's Web site
* [http://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~skent/sloganreviews.html Reviews of From Slogans to Mantras] , Web Site of Stephen A. Kent

References