Authenticity, Legitimacy and the Transglobal Yoga Industry

This book is a sociological study of knowledge and knowers and explores the production and perceived value of ‘yogic knowledge,’ how distinction is curated, and how access to this knowledge is gained. The book focuses on the organization Shanti Mandir (SM) in India, a new religious movement, which was founded in 1987 by Swami Nityananda Saraswati. It is a non-profit charity operating within the unregulated and competitive multi-billion dollar global and domestic wellness/spiritual tourism indust