Damanhur, An Exemplary Utopia

An Analysis of the Public Identity of a New Religious Movement Online

Authors

  • Stefania Palmisano University of Turin
  • Nicola Luciano Pannofino Department of Culture, Politics and Society, University of Turin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/ijsnr.v5i1.27

Keywords:

new religious movement, Damanhur, utopia, public identity, online communication

Abstract

The Damanhur Federation, situated in Valchiusella, Piedmont, Italy, is one of the most structured and long-lived esoteric communities in Europe. Beginning with a reconstruction of its history and organizational changes, from its foundation in 1975 to the present, this article aims to analyse how—by means of exoteric initiatives of a social nature, increasing gradually over the years—the original spiritual-esoteric Utopia meshed with the community’s need for self-sufficiency. With this objective in mind, we shall analyse the online (official websites) communication rhetoric with which Damanhur presents itself to the outside world as a spiritual community, while at the same time advertising and legitimizing itself as a cultural and commercial organization.

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Published

2019-08-31

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Palmisano, S., & Pannofino, N. L. (2019). Damanhur, An Exemplary Utopia: An Analysis of the Public Identity of a New Religious Movement Online. International Journal for the Study of New Religions, 5(1), 27-50. https://doi.org/10.1558/ijsnr.v5i1.27