Nuwaubian Nation

Susan Palmer is the author of eight books on NRMs, the best known being Moon Sisters, Krishna Mother, Rajneesh Lovers: Women's Roles in New Religions (1994) and Aliens Adored: Rael's UFO Religion (2004). She teaches at Dawson College and Concordia University in their Religious Studies departments.

• Contents: Preface: 'overstanding' the Nuwaubians; 'Don't believe me, check it out for yourself!'; Holy madness, crazy wisdom; The Ansaaru Allah community; Tama Re and the FBI raid on a 'sovereign nation'; Dr York's trials; Regressing into the millennium; Black Messiahs in America: religious leaders or racketeers?; Bibliography; Index.

’Susan Palmer’s book, The Nuwaubian Nation: Black Spirituality and State Control, is a fascinating, well-written and informative study of one of the most interesting and complex Afro-American New Religious Movements in the United States, the Nuwaubian nation... All in all the critical approach and thorough methodology adopted by Palmer makes this book a strong academic publication that has the potential to become a reference work in the fields of religious studies, ethnography, anthropology, Afro-American history and religion, and law.’ Alternative Spirituality and Religion Review 'This is a well-written book that could be profitably used in classes in new religious movements to provide a springboard for discussions of charisma, leadership, the anti-cult movement, and other issues... The Nuwaubian Nation is an important contribution to the ethnographic literature on new religious movements.' Journal of Contemporary Religion 'Palmer thoughtfully wrestles with one of the most distinctive and controversial contemporary black religious communities, and provides insights and analysis useful to scholars of American religions and new religious movements alike.' Nova Religio ’This volume is an important contribution to the ethnographic study of new religious communities [...] Effective use of apostate interviews, local press cuttings and interviews with law enforcement agencies and legal counsels ensure also that Palmer is successful in overstanding the Nuwaubians, not from an apologetic stance, nor from a blatantly reductionist establishment stance, but by providing a much needed commentary and evaluation of this controversial and noteworthy movement.’ Fieldwork in Religion