Postgraduate Profile

Mrs Dominiek Coates

PhD Candidate, School of Humanities and Social Science

Discipline: Sociology

Current Research

PhD Thesis title: Identity transitions and new religious movements: a symbolic interactionist
exploration of life histories of former members

The current study aims to gain an in-depth understanding of how former members of New Religious Movements (NRMs) negotiate the identity transition from membership in a NRM to life after involvement, in particular by considering the former members' life histories and how they make sense of and give meaning to their experiences. It also addresses a disjunction between psychological and sociological understandings of identity and identity transition. As well as contributing to the literature on identities and religious movements, it is hoped that this work will have implications for counselling practice with those who have experienced membership of groups commonly regarded as 'cults'.

Research Publications

Coates, D. D. (2009a). Former members of charismatic groups: modalities of adjustment. Psychotherapy in Australia 16(1), 24-31.

Coates, D. D. (2009b). Post-involvement difficulties experienced by former members of charismatic groups. Journal of Religion and Health, Published as online first 24 April 2009

Coates, D. D. (2010). Counselling former members of charismatic groups: considering pre-involvement variables, reasons for joining the group and corresponding values Mental Health, Religion & Culture, Published as online first 19 February 2010

Awards and Prizes

School of Humanities and Social Science publication prize for 2009 for 'Post-involvement difficulties experienced by former members of charismatic groups' in the Journal of Religion and Health.