Mandy Furney

PhD Candidate
Laurier-Waterloo PhD in Religious Studies

About Me

I am a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo in the Laurier-Waterloo PhD in Religious Studies . My dissertation is a qualitative study of the socialization experience of children in new religious movements using a case study of contemporary Pagans. In short, I am interviewing children and their parents about their experiences with contemporary Paganism.
My supervisory committee includes Lorne L. Dawson, Douglas E. Cowan, and Faydra Shapiro.
My M.A. thesis examined the relationship between contemporary Pagans and their urban environment.
Additional research I have conducted recently includes Internet usage among Pagans, a study of how new religious movements are presented in Canadian newspapers, and what the voice of urban Pagans can contribute to environmental discourses.
My research interests cover a range of new religious movements in North America, the role of religion in daily life experiences, and, especially, the religious experiences of children.

I have enjoyed serving on various committees as a student representative, including the Student Liaison Group of the American Academy of Religion and the Joint Committee of the Laurier-Waterloo PhD in Religious Studies.

I currently teach the course Religion in Sociological Perspectives this Winter Term (2009).

Hobbies and Interests

I live in southern Ontario with my husband Robin, our daughter Abigail,
an Australian Cattle Dog cross (Darla),
and two brown tabbies (Fenwick and Monkey).
When not reading academic texts or researching I enjoy playing with my daughter and pets, reading, playing harp, organic gardening, knitting and crochet, scrapbooking, and watching my favourite sci-fi shows.
I also volunteer with Grand River All-Breed Animal Rescue. We have "failed" fostering cats and dogs twice now.

Academic Links

• My CV
  
• Canadian Society for the Study of Religion
• American Academy of Religion
• Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
• Environmental Studies Association of Canada
  
• Consultation on Contemporary Pagan Studies
• Pagan Studies Resources
• Pagan Studies in Canada - A bibliography
• Pagan Studies at AltaMira Press
• Religious Movements Project
• New Religious Movements group of AAR
• CESNUR Center for Studies on New Religions
  
• Youth and Religion Project
• Children as Social Actors: A Bibliography

Additional Links

God and Tenure- religious studies humour

Plaigiarism- my pet peeve.