03/07/2026 09:00 - 11:10

HALL: Pola A208

Contact: Nemes M.

Chair: Introvigne M.

This session aims to disseminate recent research findings on Jehovah's Witnesses from the past decade. Early studies of this movement were mostly influenced by theological perspectives, often resulting in surface-level understandings. Before the new millennium, the Organization kept a distance from researchers, rarely allowing more than historical analysis. A noticeable shift began in the 1970s, during which researchers were permitted to investigate the "blood issue," lived apolitical experiences, everyday expressions of millenarian beliefs, and other sensitive issues. The late 1990s further expanded the accepted topics, including legal and FoRB-related topics, critical historical reviews, literary analysis, sociological and anthropological inquiries. This correlated with the gradual widening of the circle of invested scholars. Over the past two decades, the Organization's attitude shifted from mere tolerance to more active, initiative cooperation. These collaborations produced richer research materials and challenged former paradigms about Witnesses. US- and Western Europe-centric findings have been enriched by new inquiries: digital cultural output, media preferences, child-rearing, education, gender, and social empowerment; insider scholarship; literacy; and even ex-member and apostate narratives have been included in ongoing discussions on a global scale. Our panel seeks papers whose research was conducted in this progressive-cooperative environment. We seek contributions focusing on inductive research conducted in the past decade within the Witness community. The panel's focus aligns with current scholarly trends: papers that employ cross-cultural critical analysis, multidisciplinary methodologies, and enrich the scholarship by extending beyond the conventionally accepted borders of the cultural West are highly welcome.