I want to do my social policy master dissertaion on the psychological effects the cult has on on children and how it effects their development and therefore impact on society.

I'd like to hear from any one else who hs done academic work on the cult from and insiders point of view?

I hope you do that if you're interested. There is a great need for research, documentation, interviews, etc. about the church, its origins, and its effects on people.

With that said, I think too many serious and gifted scholars have lost their credibility by focusing too narrowly on Mormonism. They can help lots of people in or near the church, while ultimately losing the benefits of a normal academic or professional career. The most obvious example of this is D. Michael Quinn. He's really had trouble supporting himself.