Getting Healed from a Globalised Age: A Study of the New Age Movement in Taiwan

摘要: The aim of this qualitative study the New Age Movement (NAM) in Taiwan was to test ideas about 'self-religion', 'reflexive modernisation' and 'globalisation' that underlie many sociological accounts phenomena. It also explored neglected issues emotions embodiment practices. By means in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 40 participants activities, participant observation two courses healing documentary analysis, my project produced following four conclusions. First, characteristics spiritualities Taiwan, such as 'spiritual but not religious' 'transformational salvational', differ from those country's main religions new religious groups. But people NAM seek a balance between 'tradition modernity' or 'new age "old age" religions'. Second, changes emotional states are critical for activities terms 'being healed' through process self-transformation. Participants experience identification, display experience, whilst internalising set feeling rules based on 'emotion ideology' spiritualities. Third, analysis interviewees' biographical reconstructions their experiences shows can be regarded an integral part late modern society Taiwan. Not only is mainly self-reflexivity it influences life politics its followers. therefore serve source 'alternative' expert knowledge late-modern society. Fourth, structure described loose, web-like network. Furthermore, globalised aspects movement cannot simply expression 'Westernisation' 'Americanisation', should properly understood 'parallel glocalization'. This thesis original combination conceptual theoretical empirical investigation. Its contributions are, one hand, have integrated into theorising late-modernity globalisation and, other, placed at center activities.