The Board of ESSWE has decided to introduce a PhD Thesis Prize. Nominations are invited for the first biennial ESSWE PhD Thesis prize, awarded by the board of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism. The prize will be given for an outstanding European PhD thesis completed between 1 January 2007 and 1 March 2009 on any aspect of Western Esotericism (broadly conceived). The thesis may be European in the sense of having been submitted at a university in Europe, or in the sense of having been submitted by a European citizen at a university anywhere in the world. The thesis must have been approved formally by the nominee's thesis committee, but the degree need not have been formally awarded. The prizewinner will be notified in May 2009 and will receive an award of €500 and a certificate, to be presented at the ESSWE conference in Strasbourg, 2-4 July 2009. The thesis will also be recommended for publication in the ARIES Book Series, though the final decision on publication will be taken by the ARIES Book Series editorial board, not the Prize Committee. If it deems that no thesis reaches an appropriate standard, the Prize Committee will not award a prize. Nominations must be made by electronic mail to the Chair of the Prize Committee, Mark Sedgwick (Aarhus University, Denmark, mjs@teo.au.dk) by 1 March 2009. The nominator must be a faculty member at the institution that awards the nominee’s PhD degree, or a member of the nominee’s thesis committee. Each nominator may make only one nomination. The applications should consist of pdf files of the following material: 1. A letter of nomination 2. The nominee's thesis 3. A separate summary of the thesis, written by the nominee, of no more than ten pages (double spaced) 4. A brief biographical sketch of the nominee 5. Documentation to show that the thesis has been approved Items 1, 3 and 4 must be in English. Item 2 may be in any one of the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish. Item 5 may be in any language, so long as a translation into English is provided if it is not in English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish. The Prize Committee consists of: • Mark Sedgwick, Aarhus (Chair) • Andreas Kilcher, Zurich • Jean-Pierre Brach, Paris

Le volume 2 d'« Ésotérisme et Initiation » suivra la ligne directrice qui a fait le succès du premier volume (GRANJON, DECHARNEUX, BALZANO, NOBILIO (éds.), Ésotérisme et Initiation. Études d'épistémologie et d'histoire des religions, Fernelmont (Belgique), E.M.E., coll. « Divin & Sacré », 2010), à savoir l’interdisciplinarité et la variété des réflexions sur la notion d'ésotérisme. Les éditeurs souhaitent pour ce second volume donner un fil conducteur suggéré par la notion de « secret ». Le concept d’ésotérisme est en effet souvent associé à l’idée d’un « enseignement caché », d’un « savoir réservé » qui instaure une distinction entre initiés et profanes. Certains auteurs (Riffard, 1990) ont parfois considéré que la présence de cette « discipline de l’arcane » était nécessaire pour que l’on puisse parler d’ésotérisme. D’autres (Faivre, 1992) ont pointé les difficultés liées à l’utilisation de ce concept dans une définition critique de l’ésotérisme en soulignant que nombre de courants ésotériques n’ont rien de « secret » dans leur mode de diffusion. Néanmoins, l’étymologie même du mot « ésotérisme » suggère l’idée de quelque chose d’ « intérieur », de « voilé ». Dans un premier sens, le « secret » peut désigner le sens ultime d’un symbole ou d’un mythe, qui n’est accessible que par un effort personnel d’interprétation à plusieurs niveaux (une herméneutique). Le secret n’est alors qu’un autre terme pour désigner la connaissance elle-même — la « Gnose » — qui est par nature incommunicable au travers de la rationalité ou du langage discursif (d’où l'utilisation de formes d’expression imagées, symboliques et mythiques). Dans un second sens, le secret peut porter sur les moyens ou les techniques (physiques ou mentales) utilisés pour atteindre cette connaissance (qui mènerait à l'expérience spirituelle ou l'illumination). Par conséquent, l’ésotérisme n’est pas limité aux domaines de la religion et la philosophie. Il est au contraire largement ouvert aux arts visuels — théâtre, danse ou cinéma —, à la musique, à la littérature, ou encore à l’architecture et aux arts martiaux, pour ne donner que quelques exemples. De plus, en raison de l’accent qui est mis sur l’idée de connaissance (de Dieu, de l'Homme, mais aussi de la Nature), les perspectives ésotériques sont devenues partie intégrante de l'histoire des sciences modernes. Enfin, dans le contexte des révolutions politiques qui ont instauré une séparation entre les institutions étatiques et cléricales, les démocraties occidentales ont connu une prolifération des sociétés ésotériques, ainsi qu’une vulgarisation de certaines doctrines qui semblent aujourd’hui répondre à une certaine « demande de spiritualité ». Les éditeurs souhaitent, en croisant différentes approches, examiner la pertinence du concept de « secret » entendu comme une des composantes majeures des discours et des modes de pensée ésotériques. Éditeurs : Baudouin DECHARNEUX (Maître de recherches FNRS, CIERL – ULB, Belgique), Olivier SANTAMARIA (FNRS, Chercheur au CIERL – ULB, Belgique) dans le cadre du Groupe de Recherche et d’Étude sur les Mouvements Maçonniques et Esotériques (GREMME). Les articles seront rédigés en français ou en anglais. Échéances : pour le 31 mars 2010 : le titre (provisoire) + 1500/2000 signes (le résumé ou un chapitre). Le 30 juin 2010 : première version du texte définitif (25000 signes, notes comprises). Contact : Olivier Santamaria ()

The Board of the ESSWE invites proposals for hosting the Fourth Biennial Conference of the ESSWE in 2013. Proposals should be emailed to the Secretary, Mark Sedgwick, mjs@teo.au.dk, by 1 June 2011, and should cover: 1. The location of the conference. What rooms would be available for large sessions and small sessions, what possibilities are there for coffee breaks and lunches and so on. Could there be special arrangements with one or more hotels to provide special rates? 2. Finances. What possibilities are there of funding to invite keynote speakers--that is, to pay for their flights and accommodation? How much, for how many speakers? What sort of fee would participants be charged? 3. Anything else of importance that would contribute to a successful conference, or be an issue that would have to be addressed.

The Partington Prize 2011 The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry has established the Partington Prize in memory of Professor James Riddick Partington, the Society’s first Chairman. It is awarded every three years for an original and unpublished essay on any aspect of the history of alchemy or chemistry. The prize consists of five hundred pounds (£500). The competition is open to anyone with a scholarly interest in the history of alchemy or chemistry who, by the closing date of 31 December 2010 has not reached 35 years of age, or if older has completed a doctoral thesis in the history of science within the previous three years. Scholars from any country may enter the competition, but entries must be submitted in English and must not have been previously submitted to another journal. The prize-winning essay will be published in the Society’s journal, Ambix. One hard copy of the entry, word processed on one side of the paper, should be submitted, along with a copy of the entry on disc. We prefer files to be in Microsoft Word XP, if possible. Essays must be fully documented using the conventions used in the current issue of Ambix. Essays must not exceed 10,000 words in length, including references and footnotes. All entries must be submitted with a word count. All entries should be sent to John Perkins, Hon Treasurer, Centre for Health, Medicine and Society, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP, with the words “Partington Prize” written clearly on the envelope. Each entry should contain a separate title page giving the author’s name, institution, postal address, email address and date of birth (and if relevant the date of completion of their thesis). The author’s name and contact details must not appear on the pages of the essay as the identity of the author will not be made available to the judges. Essays (no more than one from each competitor) must be received no later than 31 December 2010. The decision of the judges appointed by the Council will be final. The Society reserves the right to divide the prize between two or more entries of equal merit, or not to award a prize should no essay be deemed of suitable standard. The name of the winner will be announced by 30 April 2011, and all essays will be returned to competitors soon after that date.

TRADIZIONI FILOSOFICHE E TRADIZIONI MISTICHE, MAGICHE ED ESOTERICHE: MODELLI DI RAZIONALITÀ A CONFRONTO Seminario di Studi Universita di Cagliari 17-18 March 2010 MERCOLEDÌ 17 MARZO, h. 15.30 Apertura dei lavori MARIA TERESA MARCIALIS Coordinatore del Dottorato in Discipline filosofiche PIER LUIGI LECIS Presidente del Corso di Laurea in Filosofia h. 16:00 COORDINA MICHELE CAMEROTA Università di Cagliari ROBERTO SIRIGU Università di Cagliari Archeologia. Analisi del sommerso, fra suggestioni e mestiere TIZIANA PONTILLO Università di Cagliari “Gli dèi amano ciò che è mistico” ma gli uomini non rinunciano alla “ragione”: tendenze dell’esegesi tardo-vedica Pausa caffè h. 17:00 ELISABETTA CATTANEI Università di Cagliari “Esprimere l’Ineffabile in figure”: geometria e teurgia in Proclo FRANCESCA M. CRASTA Università di Cagliari Filosofia naturale ed esegesi biblica in Emanuel Swedenborg GIOVEDÌ 18 MARZO, h. 15.30 COORDINA VANNA GESSA KUROTSCHKA Università di Cagliari RENZO RAGGHIANTI Scuola Normale Superiore Misticismo, simbolica, mito fra Cousin e Bergson ANDREA ORSUCCI Università di Cagliari Magia e religiosità popolare: le discussioni in Germania fra ‘800 e ‘900 MARCO PASI Universiteit van Amsterdam Esoterismo e modernità: il problema della politica Discussione

Ortodossie ed Eterodossie in Eta Moderna Seminario di Studi Universita di Cagliari 11-12 March 2010 ELISABETTA GOLA Presidente corso di laurea in Scienze della Comunicazione – Università di Cagliari Apertura dei lavori MICHELE CAMEROTA Università di Cagliari Introduzione NICK WILDING Georgia State University / American Academy in Rome Heterodox Identities: Pseudonymous Publication and Natural Philosophy FEDERICO BARBIERATO Università di Verona “Bis archibis chirieleison”. Circolazione di conoscenze e testi magici nella Venezia del Seicento MARCO PASI Universiteit van Amsterdam Konx Om Pax: il mistero dei misteri VENERDI 12 MARZO, h. 9,30 AULA 6 FRANCESCA CRASTA Università di Cagliari Introduzione GUIDO DALL’OLIO Università di Urbino Carlo Bo Ortodossia ed eterodossia nell'Italia pre-tridentina GIOVANNA GRANATA Università di Cagliari Come rendere ortodosse le letture dei religiosi: le biblioteche conventuali e l’Indice MARIA PIA DONATO Università di Cagliari Eresie illuministiche? Scienza e Inquisizione ai tempi di Benedetto XIV

Edited by Susanne Scholz (Perkins School of Theology/Southern Methodist University, USA) and Caroline Vander Stichele (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands) A key text for Jews and Christians is Genesis 1-3, which recounts the story of the creation and of the Garden of Eden. These two episodes have had an enormous effect on subsequent Western thought in terms of the emergence (as well as the rejection) of science, attitudes towards human nature, and the construction of social and cultural norms. For this volume we are interested in papers that discuss, compare, and/or analyze esoteric readings or appropriations of Genesis 1-3 from antiquity to the present, including esoteric literatures such as the Gnostic, Dead Sea, and Nag Hammadi libraries, the Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism, and Hermeticism, as well as esoteric thinkers, such as Jacob Boehme, Emanuel Swedenborg, Eliphas Lévi, Helena Blavatsky, Rudolf Steiner, René Guénon, etc. Possible topics include creation myths, gender, fate and free will, concepts of knowledge/wisdom/gnosis, the origin of good and evil, life and death, the idea of a “fall,” the afterlife, as well as how esoteric interpretations address issues of gender or race, as well as other social categories, and explorations of experiential esoteric approaches of Genesis 1-3. Also welcome are more theoretical-historical oriented contributions discussing the issue of how to integrate esotericism with biblical studies, as well as discussions of what has been done in this respect in the past. Proposals, including a (provisional) title, short abstract (150-250 words) and biographical note, are due with the editors before the end of February 2010. Articles that are accepted are due before the end of January 2011. Susanne Scholz () Caroline Vander Stichele ()

Title: A new program for the academic study of esotericism and related subjects in the USA As of 2009, the Religious Studies Department at Rice University offers an area of concentration in Gnosticism, Esotericism and Mysticism (GEM) for PhD students, with graduate seminars in all three areas held on a rotating basis. For further information on the program see here: http://reli.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=284

We invite articles for a forthcoming book, _Esotericism, Religion, and Politics_, the third volume in the Studies in Esotericism series, this one focusing on the political implications or aspects of esoteric religious groups, figures, or movements. What are the political associations of particular figures, groups, or movements within Western esotericism? In what senses can a particular esoteric figure or movement be seen as political? Some modern authors, for instance, Julius Evola, and indeed many affiliated with Traditionalism, often are identified as politically to the Right. Is there an esotericism that lends itself to the Left? What does it mean to say that a given religious figure or group within Western esotericism is "radical"? How have charges of magical practice been allied with political accusations against minority groups, and in what ways? Are there political implications for particular variants of mysticism? We expect that articles will offer insight into the political implications of historical or contemporary aspects of Western esotericism. We anticipate that, like the previous volumes in the series, this one will be divided into thematic sections that might include "Magic," "Mysticism," "Traditionalism," or "New Religions," to give only some examples. Articles should be submitted with endnotes, and according to the Chicago Manual of Style in most regards, and if any illustrations are proposed, they should be submitted as separate 300 dpi .tiff files. Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any images. You can find details on previous volumes in the series, and updates on this current book in the series, at www.aseweb.org or www.esoteric.msu.edu Please send formal proposals (a paragraph or two with a title is sufficient) for possible relevant articles to  by February 15, 2010. Completed articles proposed for the volume are due by August 15, 2010, and should be sent as electronic files to , with a cc: to Arthur Versluis at versluis (at) msu.edu, to whom relevant queries may be directed.

Robert Collis receives the ESSWE Thesis Prize for 2007-09 for an outstanding European Ph.D. thesis on Western Esotericism, “The Petrine Instauration: Religion, Esotericism and Science at the Court of Peter the Great, 1689-1725”.