The Nudists Management of Respectability
What are the official interpretations of public heterosexual nudity provided by those who run nudist camps?
- Nudity and Sexuality are unrelated
- There is nothing shameful about the human body
- Nudity promotes a feeling of freedom and natural pleasure
- The nude exposure to the sun promotes physical, mental, and spiritual well-being
The Nudists Management of Respectability
What are the 3 strategies employed by those who run nudist camps to promote these interpretations?
- Anesthetize any relationship between sexuality and nudity
- Interpersonal relations
- Communal toilets
Nudists Management of Respectability
List the norms / rules that many nudist camps operate by
- No Staring
- No Sex Talk/Dirty Jokes
- No Body Contact
- No Alcoholic Beverages in American Camps
- Rules Regarding Photography
- No Accentuation of the Body
- No Unnatural Attempts at Covering the Body
Nudists Management of Respectability
What do they consider natural, and unnatural?
Almost everything is flipped, things that breach the interpersonal relations (norms/rules) of the camp are considered unnatural
Life Inside a Deviant Religious Group
What are NRM’s
Controlled environments or ‘high demand’ organizations that demand conformity to beliefs, values and behaviors that conflict with those of the dominant culture
Life Inside a Deviant Religious Group
What is the most cited typology for classifying cults in the west?
Developed by Wallis, distinguishes between NRM’s according to their orientation to mainstream culture, and differentiates groups based on whether they maintain adherents’ positions to mainstream society or isolate and encapsulate their members
Life Inside a Deviant Religious Group
“While there is not one commonly accepted definition of the word “cult” most definitions encompass the following characteristics: _____”
- A group that is critical of, or rejects mainstream culture
- Perceives itself, leaders, and members as elitist
- Expects conformity to the group
- Conformity or commitment is maintained through different practices or techniques
Life Inside a Deviant Religious Group
How does the author distinguish between the concept of cult and NRM?
An NRM can be examined without the assumption that its members are victim to coercive or unethical practices
Life Inside a Deviant Religious Group
Extensive sociological literature suggests that cult membership and conformity is much more like _____
Normal group dynamics and socialization processes
Life Inside a Deviant Religious Group
describe the methodology of this research…how many cases were examined and what were they?
23 Former members from 11 different groups, life history interviews were conducted
