Collective of Women: "Sex, Lies, and Grand Schemes of Thought in Closed Groups"

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Sex, Lies, and Grand Schemes of Thought in Closed Groups

A Collective of Women

Abstract:
This article explores the invisible dynamics of control and submission in a closed group with which the authors were affiliated for many years. Relying on Herman’s (1992) model of psychological captivity, the article illustrates the psychological dynamics of the "courtship" of recruits and the covert coercive control through which individual identity is dismantled and the worldview of the group’s leader introduced. Three methods of control are discussed: fear induction, destruction of autonomy, and breaking of personality. The last part of the article explores how cultural issues related to sexism enhance the power of high-demand groups.

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