CESNUR

The Center for Studies on New Religions sits in Turin, in Italy’s northern region of Piedmont. Founded in 1988 by Massimo Introvigne, Jean-François Mayer and Ernesto Zucchini, it is a non-profit that researches new religious movements. Introvigne, an Italian intellectual-property lawyer and sociologist, has led the organisation since its start. The centre publishes The Journal of CESNUR and Bitter Winter, a daily magazine on religion and human rights in China. CESNUR has become a focal point in debates about controversial groups. In 2001, scholar Stephen A. Kent described it as the most visible lobby for such movements. The organisation has defended groups including the Unification Church, Scientology and Shincheonji. Critics argue it lacks critical distance, with anthropologist Richard Singelenberg questioning in 1997 whether it is “too friendly” towards the movements it studies. Visitors to CESNUR find a scholarly base in Turin. The centre hosts conferences and seminars on new religious movements. Its publications reach scholars and policymakers worldwide. The organisation also engages with controversies, hosting events that support asylum claims for refugees linked to certain groups. Turin’s setting, with its arcaded streets and Alpine backdrop, frames the work of this unusual institution.