CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: ESSWE PhD Thesis Prize 2025

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. The prize is open to PhD theses in this field that were successfully defended in 2023 or 2024. To nominate a thesis, please provide a one-page description of the thesis, highlighting its main contributions and the reasons for its nomination, along with a complete copy of the thesis in PDF format.

Nominations must be submitted by February 1, 2025, via email to the Chair of the ESSWE Thesis Prize Committee, Dr. Júlia Gyimesi, at gyimesi.julia@btk.ppke.hu.

This prize celebrates exceptional scholarship and innovative contributions to the study of esotericism. We look forward to receiving your nominations!

ESSWE PhD Thesis Prize Winners

2009 Robert Collis, “The Petrine Instauration: Religion, Esotericism and Science at the Court of Peter the Great, 1689-1725.”

2011 Daniel Jütte, “Das Zeitalter des Geheimnisses. Juden, Christen und die Ökonomie des Geheimen (1400–1800).”

2013 Egil Asprem, “The Problem of Disenchantment: Scientific Naturalism and Esoteric Discourse, 1900-1939.”

2015 Tim Rudbøg, "H. P. Blavatsky's Theosophy in Context: The Construction of Meaning in Modern Western Esotericism."

2017 Julian Strube, "Sozialismus, Katholizismus und Okkultismus im Frankreich des 19. Jahrhunderts. Die Genealogie der Schriften von Eliphas Lévi”

2019  Mike Zuber, “Spiritual Alchemy from the Age of Jacob Boehme to Mary Anne Atwood, 1600–1900”

2022 Yves Muehlematter, "Accelerating Evolution in Annie Besant’s Theosophy: Pedagogy in India between “Western” and “Eastern” Roots"

2023 Peter Lanchidi, “The Kabbalistic-Masonic Art of Rabbi David Rosenberg: Jewish Kabbalah and Freemasonry in the Nineteenth Century"