I'm doing an interdisciplinary undergraduate research project with my psychology friend and we're looking at these two cults; her from a psychological perspective, me from a historical one.

In terms of history, my general approach is going to be attempting to explain these cults as religiously motivated terrorist groups born from the social histories of the two regions - Berkeley and Tokyo. Since both terror groups were composed of young professionals or students, I am going to attempt to explain these groups as manifestations of the general disillusionment of young people with modern capitalist systems that they found themselves seemingly trapped within. It is a research project though, and so my findings will probably effect how I restructure my approach. Thanks!