The Making of a Moonie: Choice or Brainwashing?

Abstract

Abstract. This review focuses on the Ukrainian translation of Eileen Barker’s The Making of a Moonie: Brainwashing or Choice? (2024) as a landmark work in interpretive sociology applied to new religious movementsBy immersing herself in the everyday life of the Unification Church, combining qualitative and quantitative tools, and resisting alarmist narratives, Barker challenges the reductive brainwashing hypothesis instead offering a nuanced sociological account of religious conversion. The review emphasizes Barker’s methodological choices, her shifting role as observer and participant, and the ethical dilemmas she encountered while studying the movement from within.