- Robert Balch
Infobox Scientist
image_width = 150px
name = Robert William Balch
birth_date = 1945
birth_place =United States
death_date =
death_place =
residence =Montana, United States
nationality = American
field =cult s,new religious movement s,sociology
work_institution =University of Montana
alma_mater =University of Oregon Arizona State University
doctoral_advisor =
doctoral_students =
known_for =
author_abbreviation_bot =
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prizes =
religion =
footnotes =Robert William Balch is a
sociologist from theUniversity of Montana . Balch is best-known for his studies of Heaven's Gate (with David Taylor), theAryan Nations , and theLove Family .Education
*
Ph. D. ,Sociology ,University of Oregon , 1972
*M.A.,Sociology ,Arizona State University , 1968
*B.A. ,Sociology ,Arizona State University , 1966Publications
*Forthcoming, "The Rise and Fall of Aryan Nations: A Resource Mobilization Perspective." Journal of Political and Military Sociology.
*2003. "Heaven's Gate: Implications for the Study of Commitment to New Religions." Pp. 122-237 in James R. Lewis, (ed.), Encyclopedic Sourcebook of UFO Religions. Amherst, NY: Prometheus. (co-author, David Taylor)
*2002. "Making Sense of the Heaven's Gate Suicides." Pp. 209-228 in David G. Bromley and J. Gordon Melton (eds.), Cults, Religion, and Violence. New York: Cambridge University Press.elected courses
*"SOC 110: Principles of Sociology": Overview of the principles and concepts used in the study of human social interaction, groups, communities and societies.
*"SOC 130: Sociology of Alternative Religions": Unconventional religious groups in American society. Topics include recruitment, conversion, commitment, defection, leadership, belief systems, organizational structure and change.
*"SOC 201: Social Science Methods": Methods of research in the social sciences uncluding naturalistic observation, interviewing, measurement, experiments, surveys, content analysis, and basic data analysis.
*"SOC 310: Extraordinary Group Behavior": The study of emergent social behavior including rumors, crowds, crazes, riots, panics, terrorism, revolutions and social movements.
*"SOC 488: Field Research Methods": The studying of people in their natural environment by observing what they do as they go about their everyday lives.ee also
*
List of cult and new religious movement researchers External links
* [http://umt.edu/sociology/faculty_staff/balch/ Robert Balch] , Professor, Department of Sociology, The University of Montana
Persondata
NAME= Balch, Robert William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= American sociologist
DATE OF BIRTH= 1945
PLACE OF BIRTH=United States
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=
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