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In 2017 the Dresden State Art Collections (SKD) in Germany presented an exhibition on the thought of the mystical philosopher Jacob Boehme. From 25 August – 19 November 2017 around 30,000 people visited the exhibition, and many more learned about Boehme’s philosophy through the very positive response of the media to the exhibition.

As part of its ongoing engagement with Boehme, the SKD is planning a series of three further exhibitions to take place in 2019-20 in locations outside Germany. These exhibitions will highlight in particular the reception and transformation of Boehme’s thought transnationally. A scholarly conference will accompany or precede each of these exhibitions.

At this time, we invite researchers who are working on Boehme’s thought and his reception, from the 17th century to the present day, to submit proposals for papers at one or more of these conferences. Each conference will highlight Boehme’s reception and his influence in a different geographical area: England, the Netherlands, and Eastern Europe. There will also be room for papers that focus on Boehme’s thought or on the historical and religious context of his reception, including relationships and comparisons with contemporary theologians and philosophers.

As Boehme influenced a wide range of fields, we encourage scholars from all relevant disciplines – from history and religious studies to art, music and literary history and beyond, to submit proposals. Lodging, meals and most travel costs will be covered for those who are invited to participate. A peer-reviewed selection of the papers from the three conferences will be published together in one volume, which will appear in 2020. The book will be published in English, but lectures may be given in English or German.

Here are the dates and general subjects of the planned conferences. Please state clearly which conference(s) you wish to attend to give your paper:

Jacob Boehme and Continental Spiritualism in Britain (Coventry, 23.-25. May 2019)

Boehme’s Reception in Eastern Europe (Gotha, 28.-29. June 2019)

Jacob Boehme and the Netherlands (Amsterdam, 7.-8. Oct. 2019)

Please send proposals of 300-600 words by e-mail before 31. December 2018 to the following address: jacobboehmeskd@gmail.com

Association for the Study of Esotericism and Mysticism
10th International Conference

Sacred places — that is, places which followers of certain teachings believed possessed special qualities — historically played an important role in mystical and esoteric currents. From Stone Age caves, where tribe initiations were held, to today’s “places of power” visited by representatives of a wide array of esoteric groups, sacred places became centers around which esoteric practices congregated and where secret traditions were passed on from initiator to initiate.

The role of sacred places extends beyond particular sacred sites: for many mystic and esoteric currents, sacred geography in a wider sense — for example, an understanding of how the cosmos works, of the holy character of the cardinal directions, and so on — plays a large role in their philosophy. That philosophy, in turn, is often reflected in the architecture of temples, lodges, and other centers of mystic and esoteric traditions, and are integrated into ritual symbols and iconography of esoteric currents.

This conference aims to consider sacred geography as it is studied in history, anthropology, cultural studies, and psychology. The organizing committee will accept papers on the history of places considered to be both sacred and linked with mystical and esoteric currents, on such places’ status in contemporary culture, on psychological aspects of the influence such sites have on people, and on other topics linked to sacred geography in mystical and esoteric currents.

Sample topics include but are not limited to the following:

• methodological and terminological problems of the scholarly study of sacred geography in the context of mysticism and esotericism;
• sacred geography in the East;
• sacred places in Western mystical and esoteric traditions;
• the sacred in the structure of the cosmos and the sacred character of cardinal directions in the history of esotericism;
• mystical and esoteric sacred geography in literature and art.

Working languages: Russian, English

Applications for the conference for participants from CIS countries are to be sent to the address of the organizing committee esoterra.asem@gmail.com by 01.02.2019. Due to possible visa concerns, we request that applications from participants outside of the CIS are sent by 01.12.2018. We kindly request participants to provide the following information:

1. Full name:

2. Date of birth:

3. Academic degree (if applicable):

4. Home address:

5. Place of work/study (if applicable):

6. Position:

7. Telephone number:

8. E-mail:

9. Need of an official invitation to receive an entry visa to the Russian Federation (yes/no):

10. Necessary equipment for your presentation (yes (specify)/no):

11. Title of paper:

12. Abstract:

13. Language of paper:

For Russian-speaking participants, entries 1, 2, 5, 6, 11, 12 need to be filled out both in Russian and English. The applicant is also required to attach a photo of themselves, no more than 1Mb in size.

Applications for panels are accepted until 01.02.2019. Panel applications need to follow the general application form outlined above. Additionally, the panel organizer needs to provide the approximate number of panel participants and a preliminary program.

A completed application does not guarantee acceptance to the conference. The organizing committee reserves the right to ask for additional information from applicants to specify unclear applications. Decisions on applications are made by the organizing committee within a week after the application deadline. Applicants will be informed of the committee’s decision by e-mail.

Remote participation in the conference is not provided for.

A conference program including information about participants and their abstracts will be published and provided to the participants before the start of the conference. It will also be available on the ASEM website.

The conference fee is differentiated according to ASEM membership and geographical location of the participant (see table below):

Conference participants	ASEM members	ASEM non-members
Post-Soviet countries (except the Baltic countries)	500 roubles	1000 roubles
Residents of non-Post-Soviet countries	10 Euros	30 Euros

The organizational fee will be used to cover the costs of organizing the conference as well as the publication of conference papers, which is planned after the conference takes place. The collected conference materials will include papers that have been presented at the conference and accepted for publication up to 20 000 characters in length. The conference fee is paid at the time of registration.

The organizational fee does not include transportation, lodging, food or possible additional services (tours, museums, and so on). The organizing committee does not provide lodging for conference participants; however, it will provide information on local options at the request of an accepted participant.

The organizing committee is open to propositions of material and informational support from interested physical and legal persons.

Conference address: Stavropol (Russia), North-Caucasus Federal University.

All inquiries about the conference are directed to: esoterra.asem@gmail.com.

Organizing committee

Organizing committee chair: Sergey V. Pakhomov

Organizing committee members: Yuri Y. Zavhorodniy, Roman V. Nutrikhin, Stanislav A. Panin, Birgit Menzel, Yuri F. Rodichenkov, Evgeni L. Kuzmishin

The occult – the hidden – has been prevalent in various art forms for centuries. Christopher Partridge coined the term ‘occulture’ in 2004 in an effort to recognise the occult in the everyday, theorising the processes involved when popular culture disseminates occult ideas and beliefs to a wider audience. These occult and esoteric traditions are no longer hidden; instead the culture in which they are embedded has become familiar – they are ordinary and everyday.

Visual culture, as part of a broader popular culture, represents a fertile vehicle for the occult to enter everyday consciousness, even when the esoteric origins of those ideas remain unknown to the receiver. This is in opposition to secretive practices of a cultic milieu, when the occult was intended for an exclusive audience privileged with sacred and mysterious knowledge, such as, for example, ritual performances by and for adepts of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

This session proposes to investigate the reflection and representation of occult ideas, beliefs and practices that manifest in everyday and popular forms of art from the 1870s to the present day. Focusing particularly on performance art, such as theatre and dance, as well as film, photography and print, this session would invite papers to explore occult currents in visual culture from any geographical location. In addition to academic papers, this session would welcome interdisciplinary approaches from performers and artists.

Session Convenors

Dr Michelle Foot, University of Edinburgh mfoot@exseed.ed.ac.uk

Dr Lucy Weir, University of Edinburgh lucy.weir@ed.ac.uk

Deadline for submissions: Monday 5 November 2018

Please email your paper proposal direct to the session convenors. You need to provide a title and abstract (250 words maximum) for a 25-minute paper, your name and institutional affiliation (if any).

For more information about the conference please see links below:

www.forarthistory.org.uk/our-work/conference/2019-annual-conference/occult-performances-and-reflections-the-everyday-occult-in-visual-culture/

Due to an unforeseen circumstance, ESSWE7 conference date has changed to 2-4 July, 2019. To register, please see ESSWE 7 CfP under Agenda.

POLESO

POLESO is an academic network for scholarly discussion about the relation between politics and esotericism. It falls under the auspices of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE). POLESO’s historical scope is not limited to modern or contemporary society but includes the study of historical developments from antiquity to the present. Culturally and geographically, the focus is on Western culture understood in a broad and inclusive sense, while taking into account the relevance of interactions with non-Western contexts. As an academic network committed to critical scholarly debate that seeks to stimulate objective knowledge and understanding, POLESO does not provide a context for political advocacy or activism of any kind.

Contact: Wouter J. Hanegraaff

Email: w.j.hanegraaff@uva.nl

The “Network Italiano per la Ricerca Scientifica sull’Esoterismo Occidentale” (NIRSEO) has been founded by Marco Pasi (University of Amsterdam), Michele Olzi (Università dell’Insubria), and Simona Cigliana (independent scholar) during a foundational meeting held in Rome on 29 May 2017. The main coordinator is Marco Pasi. The network is at this moment especially active through a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/204384690085333/) and a mailing list for the exchange of information and news. The aims and goals of the NIRSEO are: 1) To promote the academic study of Western esotericism by Italian scholars, whether resident in Italy or abroad; 2) To promote the academic study of Western esotericism as it may be related to any aspect of Italian history, society, and culture, independently from the nationality of the scholars who carry it out; 3) To facilitate the sharing of information related to the academic study of Western esotericism in Italy or related to Italy; 4) To organise meetings and workshops and to produce publications in its area of interest as defined in the previous points.

Contact: Marco Pasi

Email: M.Pasi@uva.nl

Project AWE (Aesthetics of Western Esotericism) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Los Angeles comprised of an international team of scholars dedicated to exploring connections between Western esotericism and the arts. AWE’s mission is threefold: interpreting the past—contributing to the present—shaping the future. AWE interprets the past by producing quality research, (academic) publications, conference presentations, workshops, public and private speaking engagements, a blog, and guided museum tours, on how the beliefs, ideas and philosophies of esoteric undercurrents such as Magic, Alchemy and Kabbalah can help us fully appreciate the cultural icons of Western European heritage. AWE contributes to the present by organizing exhibitions and performances and promoting visual, literary and musical arts that introduce new dimensions of aesthetic experience. AWE shapes the future by inspiring and supporting talented young artists as they transition into adulthood. In doing so, AWE acts as a platform for interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities dialog that ascribes to the standards of academic institutions, while remaining accessible to the public. AWE welcomes collaborative opportunities and to date has created numerous successful joint programs with important cultural institutions in Greater Los Angeles area such as American Jewish University, Alliance Francaise de Los Angeles, Global Cinematography Institute, and the Los Angeles Scottish Rite.

Politica Hermetica

Chers amis,

Nous avons le plaisir de vous annoncer la poursuite de nos activités avec la conférence de

Daniel Guéguen

Auteur de « Jean Delville, la contre-histoire »

Dans le cadre du centenaire de sa mort,

Péladan revisité

Des racines occultes pour une esthétique d’avant-garde

Le samedi 24 mars 2018 à 19 heures

Au couvent de l'Annonciation, 222 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008, Paris, métro Place des Ternes ou Charles de Gaulle-Étoile.

Participation aux frais : 15 € pour le buffet qui vous sera servi après la conférence ; 5€ pour ceux qui ne pourraient pas prendre part au buffet. Soyez assez aimables pour donner réponse afin de prévoir l'organisation.

Pour tout renseignement : 

politicahermetica@gmail.com

+33 6 85 73 36 98

Le secrétaire

The most recent ESSWE newsletter (Winter 2017, Volume 8, Number 2) is downloadable from here.