Editing Massimo Introvigne (section)

== Early life and work ==
Introvigne was born in [[Rome]], [[Italy]] on June 14, 1955.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-02-10 |title=Sì alla famiglia, Massimo Introvigne parla di un'istituzione in pericolo |trans-title="Yes to the family," Massimo Introvigne talks about an institution under threat |url=http://www.modenatoday.it/eventi/massimo-introvigne-famiglia-sassuolo-11-febbraio-2015.html |access-date=2020-03-29 |work=Modena Today |language=it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2005-11-30 |title=Incontri con l'autore: Massimo Introvigne "Fondamentalismo islamico: martiri o terroristi?" |trans-title=Meet the Author: Massimo Introvigne "Islamic Fundamentalism: martyrs or terrorists?" |url=http://www.brundisium.net/notizie/shownotiziaonline.asp?id=7142 |access-date=2020-03-29 |work=Brundisium.net |location=Brindisi, Italy |language=it}}</ref> Introvigne earned a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in [[Philosophy]] from the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] in Rome in 1975, and a [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] from the [[University of Turin]] in 1979.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Avvocati - Massimo Introvigne |url=https://www.jacobacci-law.com/lawyers/Massimo-Introvigne |access-date=2019-12-08 |website=Jacobacci Avvocati |language=en}}</ref><ref name="WIPO"/> He worked for the law firm Jacobacci e Associati as an intellectual property attorney, specialized in [[domain names]].<ref name="WIPO">{{Cite web |date=n.d. |title=WIPO List of Neutrals, Biographical Data, Massimo Introvigne |url=https://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/amc/en/domains/panel/profiles/introvigne-massimo.pdf |access-date=2020-03-29 |website=[[World Intellectual Property Organization]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Olivero2003">{{Cite news |last=Olivero |first=Dario |date=2003-08-07 |title=Cliccavi su Jagermeister trovavi un portale porno |trans-title=Clicked on Jagermeister found a porn portal |url=https://www.repubblica.it/2003/h/sezioni/scienza_e_tecnologia/squatting/squatting/squatting.html?refresh_ce |access-date=2020-03-29 |work=[[La Repubblica]] |language=it}}</ref> In 1988 he co-founded the [[CESNUR|Center for Studies on New Religions]] (CESNUR), a nonprofit organization based in [[Turin]] that studies [[new religious movements]] and opposes the [[anti-cult movement]].<ref name="Chryssides2012">{{Cite book |last=Chryssides |first=George D. |author-link=George D. Chryssides |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WA12nHRtmAwC&pg=PA76 |title=Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-8108-6194-7 |page=76 |language=en |chapter=CESNUR |access-date=2024-08-20 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Introvigne is the group director of CESNUR.<ref name="Stausberg2009">{{Cite journal |last=Stausberg |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Stausberg |date=2009 |title=The study of religion(s) in Western Europe III: Further developments after World War II |journal=[[Religion (journal)|Religion]] |language=en |volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=261–282 |doi=10.1016/j.religion.2009.06.001 |s2cid=144600043}}</ref><ref name="Arweck2006">{{Cite book |last=Arweck |first=Elizabeth |title=Researching New Religious Movements: Responses and Redefinitions |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-138-05988-7 |location=London |page=28 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Garde2001">{{Cite news |last=Garde |first=Serge |date=2001-06-27 |title=Les liaisons dangereuses des universités lyonnaises |trans-title=The dangerous liaisons of Lyon universities |url=https://www.humanite.fr/les-liaisons-dangereuses-des-universites-lyonnaises-248466 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125172714/https://www.humanite.fr/les-liaisons-dangereuses-des-universites-lyonnaises-248466 |archive-date=2023-01-25 |access-date=2022-07-15 |work=[[L'Humanité]] |language=fr-FR}}</ref> 

He joined [[Alleanza Cattolica]] in 1972, a [[Conservatism in Italy|conservative]] [[Catholic lay organisations|lay Catholic association]], for which he has received much criticism. From 2008 to 2016, he was the vice-president of the association.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-04-28 |title=Massimo Introvigne non è più il reggente nazionale vicario di Alleanza Cattolica |trans-title=Massimo Introvigne is no longer the deputy national regent of Alleanza Cattolica |url=https://www.lafedequotidiana.it/massimo-introvigne-non-e-piu-reggente-vicario-di-alleanza-cattolica/ |access-date=2020-03-29 |work=La fede quotidiana |language=it}}</ref><ref name="Chryssides20122">{{Cite encyclopedia |year=2012 |title=Introvigne, Massimo (1955–) |encyclopedia=Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |last=Chryssides |first=George D. |author-link=George D. Chryssides |edition=2nd |pages=178–179 |language=en |isbn=978-0-8108-6194-7}}</ref> Beginning in 2012, Introvigne was listed as an "invited professor of sociology of religious movements" at the [[Salesian Pontifical University]] in Turin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Massimo Introvigne |url=http://torino.unisal.it/uni/index.php/docenti/docenti-invitati/item/123-massimo-introvigne |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305051115/http://torino.unisal.it/uni/index.php/docenti/docenti-invitati/item/123-massimo-introvigne |archive-date=2016-03-05 |access-date=2014-06-09 |website=[[Salesian Pontifical University]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cocchi |first=Francesca |date=2013-10-16 |title=Le sette religiose, viste da "dentro" |trans-title=Religious sects, seen from the "inside" |url=https://www.rsi.ch/rete-due/programmi/cultura/laser/Le-sette-religiose-viste-da-%E2%80%9Cdentro%E2%80%9D-129146.html |access-date=2020-03-29 |work=[[RSI Rete Uno]] |location=Lugano, Switzerland |language=it}}</ref> Introvigne is a proponent of the theory of religious economy developed by [[Rodney Stark]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Introvigne |first1=Massimo |last2=Stark |first2=Rodney |author-link2=Rodney Stark |date=January 2005 |title=Religious Competition and Revival in Italy: Exploring European Exceptionalism |url=http://www.massimointrovigne.com/ijrr.pdf |journal=Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion |language=en |volume=1 |pages=1–18 |issn=1556-3723 |access-date=2024-07-13 |via=massimointrovigne.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bruni |first=Frank |author-link=Frank Bruni |date=2003-10-13 |title=Faith Fades where It Once Burned Strong |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/13/world/faith-fades-where-it-once-burned-strong.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240820041445/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/13/world/faith-fades-where-it-once-burned-strong.html |archive-date=2024-08-20 |access-date=2019-10-28 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In 2012, Introvigne was appointed chairperson of the newly-formed Observatory of Religious Liberty of the [[Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tornielli |first=Andrea |date=2012-06-20 |title=Nasce a Roma l'Osservatorio della libertà religiosa |trans-title=Observatory of religious freedom is born in Rome |url=http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/homepage/news/dettaglio-articolo/articolo/liberta-religiosa-religious-freedom-libertad-religiosa-16155/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621151047/http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/homepage/news/dettaglio-articolo/articolo/liberta-religiosa-religious-freedom-libertad-religiosa-16155/ |archive-date=2012-06-21 |access-date=2012-06-20 |work=[[Vatican Insider]] |publisher=La Stampa |language=it}}</ref> Beginning in 2018, Introvigne was editor-in-chief of the daily magazine on [[Religion in China|religious issues]] and [[human rights in China]] and elsewhere, ''[[Bitter Winter]]'', which is published by CESNUR.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-04-14 |title="Bitter Winter", in Italia un nuovo quotidiano online su religione e diritti umani in Cina |trans-title="Bitter Winter," a new online newspaper in Italy on religion and human rights in China |url=https://www.lastampa.it/vatican-insider/it/2018/05/14/news/bitter-winter-in-italia-un-nuovo-quotidiano-online-su-religione-e-diritti-umani-in-cina-1.34016836 |work=[[La Stampa]] |language=it}}</ref>