Eileen Vartan Barker (born 21 April 1938, in Edinburgh, UK) is a professor in sociology, an emeritus member of the
London School of Economics
, mottoeng = To understand the causes of things
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £240.8 million (2021)
, budget = £391.1 mill ...
(LSE), and a consultant to that institution's Centre for the Study of Human Rights. She is the chairperson and founder of the
Information Network Focus on Religious Movements (INFORM) and has written studies about
cult
In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal ...
s and
new religious movement
A new religious movement (NRM), also known as alternative spirituality or a new religion, is a religious or spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in origin or th ...
s.
Academic career
Barker has been involved with the LSE's sociology department, where she received her PhD, since 1970.
In 1988 she engaged in research on the preservation of cultural identity in the
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...
.
In the same year she founded the
Information Network Focus on Religious Movements (INFORM), with the support of the
Archbishop of Canterbury and financial help from the British
Home Office.
Barker has held numerous positions of
leadership
Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets v ...
in the academic study of religion. She served as the chairperson of the