For more information please see the following word document: cfp_theosophy_athens_2025.pdf

Appel à Contribution (AAC) Numéro spécial de la revue RELIER. Revue interdisciplinaire d’études religieuses

Titre : Nouvelles figures de l’ésotérisme en Afrique contemporaine et au-delà (Europe, Amérique, Asie, Océanie)

Édité par Fernand Idriss MINTOOGUE (Docteur en Anthropologie, EPHE-PSL/ IMAF)

Le contexte colonial n’a pas été que le théâtre de la seule rivalité entre christianisme (églises protestantes et l’église catholique) et islam, religions implantées et soutenues par les puissances étrangères installées en Afrique plusieurs siècles avant cette interaction historique d’une part, et des conquêtes terrestres venues des grands royaumes Ouest et Nord-africains d’autre part

(Balandier 1971 ; Coquery-Vidrovitch 2011). Loin des joutes administratives, militaires et des tourments sanitaires, éducatifs et coutumiers, liés à une cohabitation toujours tumultueuse avec les communautés autochtones, se jouaient d’autres formes d’incursions religieuses sur le continent. En effet, plusieurs mouvements spirituels avaient profité de cette situation d’ouverture violente et contrainte de l’Afrique au monde, pour s’installer dans plusieurs pays africains. Ainsi, certains auteurs (de Rosny 2004 ; Odo 2009 ; Chidester, 2005) signalent par exemple la présence de la rose-croix et de la franc-maçonnerie bien avant la vague des indépendances (1957-1975, et 1990 pour la Namibie) sur le continent africain. Une évidence de la longue histoire de tels mouvements en Europe et en Amérique notamment (Faivre 1986a, 1986b ; Bubello et al. 2018).

Ce numéro spécial de la revue RELIER (Revue interdisciplinaire d’études religieuses) porte sur ces mouvements dits spirituels ou ésotériques venus de l’Occident ou de l’Orient pour s’installer sur les terres africaines, mais aussi leurs transformations ou l’apparition de dérivées ailleurs dans le monde (Europe et au-delà). Par mouvement ésotérique, nous entendons ces courants de pensée ou doctrines construites, pour beaucoup, autour de principes et de pratiques en marge des religions les plus populaires (monothéismes, hindouisme), privilégiant une évolution secrète, articulée autour de castes initiatiques – certaines visent même l’établissement d’une (nouvelle) hiérarchie sociale – pratiquant souvent (au travers d’une ritualité foisonnante) l’occultisme (arts divinatoires ou mantiques), la magie, etc., et une ascèse dont la substance est, bien de fois, le produit d’un mélange d’arcanes provenant de diverses religions ou traditions du globe (Faivre 1999 ; Faivre et Hanegraaff 1998 ; Hanegraaff 2006).

Les travaux classiques qui traitent de ces courants ésotériques insistent habituellement sur l’obédience de ces mouvements. Mais, dans ce numéro, nous invitons les auteurs et autrices à proposer des textes, sans obligation de discuter de leurs mouvances : « païennes » ou « néopaïennes », voire « New Age » (Pike 2004 ; Hanegraaff 1996 ; Melton 1992 ; Luhrmann 1991 ; Sutcliffe 2003). En effet, si ces mouvements ont déjà largement investi les terrains africains, il n’existe pas assez d’études documentant leurs organisations et leurs activités, contrairement à ce qui s’observe dans les cadres européens, américains et asiatiques (Mossière 2023). Les textes pourront aussi s’intéresser à l’état des sociétés initiatiques constituant le cœur de la vie de nombreuses communautés culturelles que compte le continent africain, afin d’évaluer leurs trajectoires et leurs sorts, travaillées qu’elles ont été par les dynamiques de démantèlement multiples pendant la période coloniale, et les incertitudes de la contemporanéité ou de l’ère post-coloniale.

Axes des contributions

Plus précisément, les contributions pourront s’inscrire dans un (ou plusieurs) des trois axes ci dessous :

1) Circulation des mouvements associés à l’ésotérisme occidental/oriental en Afrique et au-delà

Il s’agit d’explorer les circulations globales des formations ésotériques venues de contrées extérieures à l’Afrique. L’idée est de retracer la trajectoire des doctrines étudiées en examinant les voies par lesquelles elles se sont déployées, depuis leurs épicentres hors d’Afrique (Europe, Amérique ou Asie), pour intégrer le paysage religieux africain. Ainsi, quelques exemples ont été documentés : la religion Sukyo Mahikari en Côte d’Ivoire et au Sénégal (Louveau 2011), la foi Bahaïe en Tunisie (Kallel 2008) ou encore celui de « l’anthropologie gnostique » ou néo

gnose au Cameroun (Mintoogue 2023, 2024). Pour autant, de nombreuses autres religions et doctrines spirituelles (bouddhisme, mormonisme, reiki, hindouisme, etc.) sont bien installées à divers endroits du continent, et nécessitent d’être étudiées. L’on tentera ici, de répondre à la question de savoir quels sont leurs publics ? Quelle est leur organisation interne, leur disposition sociale et leur degré d’influence dans les sociétés qu’elles ont intégrées ? Quels sont les principes des doctrines ou religions concernées ? Cet axe de l’appel prendra également en compte des propositions examinant les (nouvelles) expressions de mouvements ésotériques (dérivés de l’ésotérisme occidental ou oriental) en dehors du continent Africain (Europe et ailleurs).

2) Exploration des pratiques (rituelles) de guérison ou de bien-être desdits mouvements ésotériques

Dans cet axe, nous questionnons l’esthétique de ces doctrines dans le contexte africain et ailleurs dans le monde. Il s’agit de savoir quelles formes elles revêtent une fois installées dans un contexte autre que celui dont elles émanent ? Quel est leur (éventuel) degré d’acculturation ? A quel point se transforment-elles, afin de répondre à la demande locale ? Il faudrait également savoir quelle est leur offre en termes de pratiques (rituelles) visant le bien être ou la guérison, sans oublier l’initiation des adeptes. Logiquement, l’on questionnera les types de pratiques rituelles proposées au sein de ces formations, en évaluant leur déroulement, les techniques corporelles, les dispositifs linguistiques, proxémiques et matériels (variétés d’objets) employés ou déployés dans les cadres élaborés à cet effet, afin de mobiliser et manipuler le corps des participants. Il s’agit de proposer une réflexion visant à examiner les potentielles différences, voire transformations, existant entre les pratiques originales (telles que pratiquées dans leurs lieux d’origine) et celles appliquées dans leurs nouvelles bases.

3) Sociétés initiatiques africaines : quelles transformations et quel avenir ?

Bien avant l’incursion des religions monothéistes qui y ont une place importante aujourd’hui, les sociétés africaines se caractérisaient par l’existence de religions animistes – qui subsistent aujourd’hui, reprenant même une importance renouvelée – et de coutumes au cœur desquelles se trouvaient – et se trouvent encore – des sociétés ou castes initiatiques, que seuls quelques privilégiés peuvent intégrer à la suite d’une initiation. Celles-ci disposaient de

compétences variées, selon les unités socioculturelles : la chasse et les thérapies comme dans le cas du donsoya (société des chasseurs mandingues) au Mali (Kedzierska Manzon 2014, 2023), la chasse, l’habileté guerrière physique et mystique (mise à mort des sorciers), à l’instar du ngii – société des hommes gorilles chez les Fang – au Cameroun (Laburthe-Tolra 1985), la confrérie des hommes-panthères en pays Wé (Gabon), etc. Le continent regorgeait et regorge encore de nombreuses sociétés initiatiques féminines (Mevungu au Cameroun ; Sandé ou Bundu au Libéria/Sierra Leone et Côte d’Ivoire ; Worodugu en Côte d’Ivoire et Chaga en Tanzanie, etc.), bien documentées en anthropologie. Bien d’entre elles ont été combattues et largement démantelées pendant la période coloniale. Il s’agira donc de savoir quel est leur présent, c’est

à-dire – si elles ont survécu – leur forme ou leur organisation actuelle. Quelles transformations peut-on y lire ? Ont-elles assimilé le christianisme et d’autres religions importées comme cela a été démontré en Afrique du Sud et au Botswana (Teppo 2009 ; Nthoi 2022) ? Existe-t-il des différences entre leur ritualité plusieurs décennies plus tôt et celle que l’on observe à ce jour ? Comment s’adaptent-t-elles aux besoins des nouvelles générations ?

Date limite d’envois des résumés en français et en anglais (une page max avec bibliographie indicative de 5 ouvrages) à envoyer à : ferneyyagami90@gmail.com : 10 avril 2025

Annonce des propositions retenues : 20 avril 2025

Date limite d’envoi des articles : 15 Septembre 2025

Date de publication estimée : mars 2026

PS : les propositions en anglais sont les bienvenues. Cependant, elles seront traduites en français, car le numéro de Revue sera publié en français.

Appel à Contribution (AAC) Special issue of the journal RELIER. Interdisciplinary journal of religious studies

Title: New figures of esotericism in contemporary Africa and beyond (Europe, America, Asia, Oceania)

Edited by Fernand Idriss MINTOOGUE (Doctor of Anthropology, EPHE-PSL/ IMAF)

Far from the administrative and military jousting and the health, educational and customary torments associated with an ever-tumultuous cohabitation with native communities, other forms of religious incursion into the continent were at play. Indeed, several spiritual movements had taken advantage of Africa's violent and forced opening to the world, to establish themselves in several African countries. For example, some authors (de Rosny 2004; Odo 2009; Chidester, 2005) point to the presence of Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry well before the wave of independence (1957-1975, and 1990 for Namibia) on the African continent. Evidence of the long history of such movements in Europe and America in particular (Faivre 1986a, 1986b; Bubello et al. 2018).

This special issue of the journal RELIER (Revue interdisciplinaire d'études religieuses) focuses on these so-called spiritual or esoteric movements that have come from the West or East to settle on African soil, as well as their transformations or the emergence of offshoots elsewhere in the world (Europe and beyond).By esoteric movement, we mean those currents of thought or doctrines built, for many, around principles and practices on the bangs of the most popular religions (monotheisms, Hinduism), favoring a secret evolution, articulated around initiatory castes - some even aiming at the establishment of a (new) social hierarchy - often practicing (through an abundant rituality) occultism (divinatory or mantic arts), magic, etc., and an asceticism whose substance is a spirituality, and an asceticism whose substance is often the product of a blend of arcana from various religions and traditions around the globe (Faivre 1999; Faivre and Hanegraaff 1998; Hanegraaff 2006).

Classical works dealing with these esoteric currents usually insist on the obedience of these movements. In this issue, however, we invite authors to submit texts, with no obligation to discuss their “pagan”, “neopagan” or even “New Age” leanings (Pike 2004; Hanegraaff 1996; Melton 1992; Luhrmann 1991; Sutcliffe 2003).Indeed, while these movements have already largely invested the African terrain, there are not enough studies documenting their organizations and activities, contrary to what is observed in European, American and Asian settings (Mossière 2023).Texts could also look at the state of the initiation societies at the heart of the lives of many cultural communities on the African continent, in order to assess their trajectories and fates, shaped as they have been by the multiple dynamics of dismantling during the colonial period, and the uncertainties of contemporaneity or the post-colonial era.

Focus of contributions

More specifically, contributions may fall into one (or more) of the following three categories:

1) Circulation of movements associated with Western/Eastern esotericism in Africa and beyond

The aim is to explore the global circulation of esoteric formations from outside Africa. The idea is to retrace the trajectory of the doctrines studied by examining the ways in which they spread from their epicenters outside Africa (Europe, America or Asia) to integrate the African religious landscape. Examples include the Sukyo Mahikari religion in Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal (Louveau 2011), the Baha'i faith in Tunisia (Kallel 2008) and “gnostic anthropology” or neo

gnosis in Cameroon (Mintoogue 2023, 2024). However, many other religions and spiritual doctrines (Buddhism, Mormonism, Reiki, Hinduism, etc.) are well established in various parts of the continent, and need to be studied. The aim here is to answer the question: who are their audiences? What is their internal organization, their social disposition and their degree of influence in the societies they have integrated? What are the principles of the doctrines or religions concerned? This section of the call will also consider proposals examining (new) expressions of esoteric movements (derived from Western or Eastern esotericism) outside the African continent (Europe and elsewhere).

2) Exploring the healing or well-being (ritual) practices of these esoteric movements

In this axis, we question the aesthetics of these doctrines in the African context and elsewhere in the world. What forms do they take once installed in a context other than the one from which they emanate? What is their (eventual) degree of acculturation? To what extent are they transformed to meet local demand? We also need to know what they offer in terms of (ritual) practices aimed at well-being or healing, not forgetting the initiation of followers. Logically, we'll be questioning the types of ritual practices offered within these training courses, assessing how they are carried out, the bodily techniques, linguistic, proxemic and material devices (varieties of objects) employed or deployed within the frameworks elaborated for this purpose, in order to mobilize and manipulate the participants' bodies. The aim is to examine the potential differences, and even transformations, between the original practices (as practiced in their places of origin) and those applied in their new bases.

3) African initiation societies: what changes and what future?

Long before the incursion of the monotheistic religions that play such an important role today, African societies were characterized by the existence of animistic religions - which continue to exist today, even regaining renewed importance - and customs at the heart of which were - and still are - initiatory societies or castes, which only a privileged few can join following initiation. Depending on the socio-cultural unit concerned, they had a wide range of skills at their disposal: hunting and therapies, as in the case of the donsoya (Mandingo hunters' society) in Mali (Kedzierska Manzon 2014, 2023); hunting, physical and mystical warrior skills (killing witches), as in the case of the ngii - gorilla men's society among the Fang - in Cameroon (Laburthe-Tolra 1985); the panther-men's brotherhood in Wé country (Gabon), and so on. The continent was and still is home to numerous female initiation societies (Mevungu in Cameroon; Sandé or Bundu in Liberia/Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire; Worodugu in Côte d'Ivoire and Chaga in Tanzania, etc.), well documented in anthropology. Many of them were fought against and largely dismantled during the colonial period. So we'll be looking at their present, i.e. - if they have survived - their current form or organization. What transformations have they undergone? Have they assimilated Christianity and other imported religions, as demonstrated in South Africa and Botswana (Teppo 2009; Nthoi 2022)? Are there differences between their

rituals several decades earlier and those observed today? How are they adapting to the needs of new generations?

Deadline for submission of abstracts in French and English (one page max. with indicative bibliography of 5 works) to: ferneyyagami90@gmail.com : April 10, 2025

Announcement of successful proposals: April 20, 2025

Deadline for submissions: September 15, 2025

Estimated publication date: March 2026

PS: Submissions in English are welcome. However, they will be translated into French, as the Journal issue will be published in French.

100 Years Rudolf Steiner: New Perspectives on the Founder of Anthroposophy, in the Centennial Year of his Death
December 14-16, 2025, in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Call for Papers (CfP) – Submission Deadline May 1, 2025

Sponsored by Harvard Divinity School’s Program for the Evolution of Spirituality, with additional support from the Center for the Study of World Religions.

This conference marks the centenary anniversary of Rudolf Steiner’s death. The driving force behind the esoteric and social reform movement of anthroposophy, Steiner left behind a complicated and transregional legacy. Considering the small number of participants in the movement's first decades, there are few spiritual currents of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries that have attracted as much public attention as anthroposophy—and few spiritual leaders who have been subject to as much scrutiny, both critical and sympathetic, especially in the German-language context. Following a twenty-year period that has seen a huge increase in the quality and quantity of scholarship on Steiner and anthroposophy, the centennial of Steiner's death in 1925 offers a perfect opportunity for scholars, practitioners in areas of “applied anthroposophy” such as Steiner education and biodynamic agriculture, and interested members of the public to come together to debate major issues.

While much of the key scholarship is still only available in German, and some only in other languages including Hebrew and Norwegian, the last decade has also seen breakthroughs in anglophone publications in the field, such as Peter Staudenmaier's Anthroposophy and the Politics of Race in the Fascist Era (2014), Dan McKanan's study Anthroposophy and the History and Future of Environmentalism (2017), Helmut Zander’s article on “Rudolf Steiner and the Zeitgeist around 1900” (pub. 2021), and significant publications in English translation, including Martina Maria Sam's The Library of Rudolf Steiner (2024; five translators). Parallel to this, the German-language Critical Edition of Steiner's Writings (Schriften—Kritische Ausgabe), with Christian Clement as general editor, has brought out eleven themed volumes since 2013, each complemented by forewords from world experts in the study of western esotericism. This conference will build on such scholarship while also acknowledging the work conducted by the administrators of Steiner’s literary estate, which includes thousands of manuscripts, in preparing quality publications of much archival material in digital and print editions.

Our goal is to offer new perspectives on Steiner and critical approaches to his legacy, which has been extremely fruitful in multiple fields, from education and organic farming to modern art and architecture. By bringing together a diverse range of scholars and researchers, we hope to shed new light on this legacy and provide a forum to explore complex issues.

We warmly invite interested scholars to submit abstracts of a maximum of 300 words. Alongside the keynote lectures that will start and end our proceedings, we intend to run eight 90-minute chaired panels, each consisting of at least three and at most four 15-20 minute papers, leaving ample time for questions from the audience. Each abstract must be attached to one of the following open panels (and referenced in the initial submission):

• Panel One: Contested Beginnings—Disputed Anthroposophical Biographies: Papers on Steiner’s own biography and other first- and second-generation anthroposophical leaders such as Ita Wegman, Marie von Sivers-Steiner, or Karl König.

• Panel Two: Steiner’s Philosophical Outlook: How were Steiner’s philosophical writings, including The Philosophy of Freedom, shaped by Fichte, Nietzsche, Idealism, Monism, Individualist Anarchism, and other antecedents?

• Panel Three: Steiner’s Goethean Vision of Participatory Research and “Spiritual Science”: Did Goethe offer Steiner a new way of doing natural science and a relevant critique of Newtonianism?

• Panel Four: Steiner’s Activities within the Theosophical Society: How did Steiner adapt, transform, or distort Rosicrucian, Freemasonic, and Theosophical elements in crafting his own esoteric and organizational practice?

• Panel Five: Social Threefolding, Politics, Economy, and Community: Did Steiner promote an anti-statist democracy, or take an anti-democratic turn?

• Panel Six: Esotericism, Evolution, “Race,” and Racism: Did Steiner’s teachings about spiritual bodies and cultural epochs constitute a spirituality for the modern world, or a spiritualization of early-twentieth-century prejudices?

• Panel Seven: Waldorf Pedagogy and Curative Education: How did Steiner draw on progressive pedagogy and theosophical spirituality in developing anti-authoritarian and holistic curricula?

• Panel Eight: Steiner’s Aesthetics, Modern Art, and Organic Architecture: How did Steiner’s personal practice of the arts and skilled craftsmanship inspire or constrain the creativity of his students?

Here is the link to the call for papers and submission form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZDs17XhrDY2o_tRl6yvCafxttS_rfO3H5WzvEezjJecuyjg/viewform

Please use this link to submit your proposal:

https://forms.gle/hPdw2RuDMKJcKuXS7

For any questions, please contact pes@hds.harvard.edu

"To expand our understanding of AI’s role in society, we aim to bring together technologists, theologians, scholars of religion, anthropologists, linguists, sociologists, ethicists, philosophers, and scholars from other related fields interested in this topic."

For more information, please check out the CFP brochure here: MEEET-Lab Conference CFP Final.pdf 

The European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE) is pleased to announce the Call for Nominations for the ESSWE Thesis Prize 2025, which recognizes outstanding doctoral research in the field of Western esotericism. For more information please check https://esswe.org/Prizes/

The intersection of education and esotericism represents an emerging but underexplored field within esotericism studies, education science, philosophy, anthropology, and religious studies. This anthology aims to bridge this gap by examining the profound yet often overlooked influence of esoteric thought on educational practices and institutions. It will investigate the conceptual origins, philosophical frameworks, and practical implementations of "esoteric and occult pedagogies" from their inception to the present day.

Figures such as Rudolf Steiner, Maria Montessori, and Annie Besant exemplify how esoteric ideas have profoundly shaped alternative educational models with lasting global impact. However, the esoteric underpinnings of their philosophies, as well as the broader institutionalization of such ideas, remain underrepresented in scholarly discourse. Through interdisciplinary approaches combining Ideengeschichte (history of ideas), cultural analysis, anthropology, and educational studies, this anthology will explore how these frameworks evolved and adapted across cultural and historical contexts.

We invite contributions that explore themes including, but not limited to:

• The esoteric influences on educational philosophies and practices developed by key educationists.

• Comparative studies of esoteric educational institutions and their impact across cultures and periods.

• The reception, adaptation, and reinterpretation of esoteric educational ideas within diverse historical and cultural settings.

• The intersections of esotericism with mainstream and alternative pedagogical theories (e.g., Reformpädagogik).

• Case studies of schools and institutions implementing esoteric pedagogical philosophies.

• The boundaries and overlaps between esoteric, alternative, and mainstream educational practices, including systematic approaches to categorization and intersections.

• Analysis of occult fiction and other literary works influencing esoteric pedagogies.

• Contributions on the methodologies and approaches to teaching about esotericism.

• Broader theoretical reflections on the historiography and methodology of studying esoteric education.

Submission Guidelines

• Abstracts: Please submit a 300–500-word abstract detailing your proposed contribution by January 31, 2025, along with a short bio.

• Article Length: Final articles should not exceed 25,000 characters (including spaces, excluding bibliography).

• Style Guide: A detailed style guide will be provided upon acceptance of your abstract.

• Full Article Deadline: Final contributions are due by November 30, 2025.

This anthology aims to bridge this gap by exploring the profound yet often overlooked intersections between esotericism and pedagogy. It seeks to examine the multifaceted interactions and exchanges between educational institutions, alternative learning practices, and esoteric thought, both globally and across different historical periods. 

Submission Process

Please send abstracts and author bios to yves.muehlematter@uzh.ch by January 30, 2025. For inquiries or clarification about the scope of the anthology, contact yves.muehlematter@uzh.ch or ansgar.martins@googlemail.com.

We look forward to receiving your contributions!

Welcome to an interdisciplinary summer school and conference “Religion: Concealed and Revealed” to be held 9–12 June 2025 in Turku/Åbo.

The aim of the summer school and conference is to bring together doctoral candidates and researchers from various academic fields that engage with the study of religion, such as theology, religious studies, study of esotericism, history, philosophy, the arts, social and political sciences and other.

The event starts with the summer school, on 9–10 June, where doctoral candidates are given the opportunity to present and discuss their ongoing PhD work in a cross-disciplinary, international setting. The summer school consists of working groups, tutored by the keynote presenters and other academic teachers. There will also be a special stream of panels for Scandinavian PhD students focusing on esotericism, arranged in collaboration with SNASWE – Scandinavian Network for the Academic Study of Western Esotericism.

Postdoc and senior researchers will present their papers in the conference from 11 to 12 June. Doctoral candidates are encouraged to stay for the conference sessions as well.

Please click the link for more information: https://blogs2.abo.fi/religionsummerschoolandconference/

The detailed program of the "CAS-E Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective" program series for the winter semester of 2024/25  can be found at:

https://cas-e.de/2024/09/20/lecture-series-winter-semester-24-25-with-abstracts/

CALL FOR PAPERS

ART, ESOTERICISM AND THE ECOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

Association for Art History Annual Conference

9 – 11 April 2025

York

Session Abstract

When the art, visual culture, and creative practices of the ecological imagination are informed by esotericism, they reveal rejected knowledge and recover enchanted relationships. In recent years scholarship has expanded significantly in the fields of art and ecology, and art and esotericism, but intersections between all three categories remain underexplored.

Egil Asprem and Kennet Granholm have noted one of the analytically most powerful capabilities of the concept of the esoteric is its ability to shine light on the ‘betwixt and between’ and phenomena that transgress seemingly impermeable borders. Esoteric thinking resists boundaries, linearities of time and progress, and conformity to anthropocentrism. Esotericism has long held the imagination as an important faculty to transcend the mundane and the human, the everyday and the present. Similarly, environmental philosophers have evoked the imagination to negotiate and conceive, simulate and project increasingly complex world systems. As Diana Villanueva-Romero, Lorraine Kerslake and Carmen Flys-Junquera have demonstrated, artworks promote environmental awareness through the exercise of imaginative processes, paving the way for encounters of affective knowledge between us and ‘other’ - the ‘more-than-human’. With the creative potential and possibilities of these mutual imaginative forces - both esoteric and ecological - artists explore alternative entanglements with the natural and supernatural, visualising the interconnectivity and reciprocity between planes, scales and beings.

What are the visual manifestations and wider implications of the ecological imagination when it unites with esotericism? How are alternative entanglements conceived, envisioned and given form? This session invites papers to investigate the intersections of art, esotericism and ecology in their broadest sense, including transhistorical and global perspectives. In addition to academic papers, we welcome interdisciplinary approaches and other presentation formats from artists, ecologists and esoteric practitioners.

Session Convenors

Michelle Foot, University of Edinburgh, Michelle.Foot@ed.ac.uk

Natasha V. Moody, University of Plymouth / Research Network for the Study of Esoteric Practices, natashavmoody@gmail.com

To offer a paper:

Please email your paper proposals direct to the session convenors, details above.

Provide a title and abstract (250 words maximum) for a 20-minute paper (or alternative presentation format), your name and institutional affiliation (if any).

Please make sure the title is concise and reflects the contents of the paper because the title is what appears online, in social media and in the digital programme.

Deadline for submissions: 1 November 2024

CALL FOR PAPERS

ESSWE10

The 10 th Biennial Conference of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism

ESOTERICISM AND RATIONALITY

Vilnius University, Lithuania, June 26-28, 2025

To propose an abstract visit: www.esswe10.lt

The emergence of esotericism as an academic field has led scholars to reassess the simplistic ways in which it used to be treated by previous generations of historians, while questioning the cultural assumptions that informed traditional approaches to research. Central to this reassessment is the debate on rationality, which has traditionally positioned esotericism as in some way “irrational.” This conference will therefore be focused on exploring the complex relationship between esotericism and rationality.

The study of esotericism specifically raises questions about transcending the binary of rationality versus irrationality and questioning established academic norms. These problematics are intimately connected to key theoretical and methodological concerns and to historical, psychological, anthropological as well as multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to the field. We hope to foster a comprehensive discussion about the various aspects and manifestations of rationality as they emerge within the multifaceted domain of esotericism, thus encouraging scholars from disciplines such as history, sociology, anthropology, psychology, cultural and art studies, philosophy, political science, education, and others to return to this foundational issue in the field.

Furthermore, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of ESSWE and the 10th ESSWE conference, we extend an invitation to not only reflect on the past research that the study of esotericism has undertaken but also to critically examine its evolution and the diverse methodological paths it has explored over the years. We invite papers that analyze the development of the study of esotericism, consider shifts in scholarly approaches, and explore how these changes have shaped our understanding of esotericism.

Building on the themes mentioned above, this year’s ESSWE conference invites participants to explore and discuss various aspects of esotericism and rationality in the broadest possible sense. Possible topics for discussion include, but are not limited to:

• Concepts and understandings of rationality in global and local, historical and contemporary contexts of esotericism;
• The relationship between rationality and irrationality;
• The disenchantment, secularization, and rationalization of the world;
• Methodological inquiries into the relationship between rationality and esotericism;
• Challenges researchers face in their attempts to explore rationalities in esotericism;
• Alternative and divergent rationalities, scientification, and legitimization strategies within esotericism;
• Text, body, movement, music, space, and other media that embody diverse rationalities;
• Intersections of concepts of rationality with gender, race, colonialism, and other concepts, processes, and issues;
• The development of the study of esotericism.

Organized by:

European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE), Lithuanian Esotericism Study Group

(LESG) at Lithuanian Society for the Study of Religions (LSSR), Vilnius University (VU), Vytautas Magnus

University (VMU)

Organisational team:

Adas Diržys, Eglė Aleknaitė-Škarubskė, Milda Ališauskienė, Ina Kiseliova-El Marassy, Aušra Pažėraitė, Vytis

Silius, Deimantas Valančiūnas

Scientific committee:

Eglė Aleknaitė-Škarubskė, Henrik Bogdan, Adas Diržys, Aušra Pažėraitė, Manon Hedenborg White

Contacts for information: conference@seventips.lt, +370 682 28647