ESSWE Magic Thesis Workshop

A one-day workshop for graduate and postgraduate students organised by ESSWE in conjunction with the Chair for History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents, University of Amsterdam, on Friday 6 July 2012.

Throughout the day, international scholars from varying perspectives (cultural, intellectual, history of science) will present papers, discuss issues around framing research questions, and reflect on the importance of developing the skills necessary to successfully carry out research. This workshop will provide an opportunity for graduate and postgraduate students to engage with specialists in the history of ancient, early modern and modern magic, and other subjects more broadly based in the field of Western Esotericism.

It should be stressed that while the focus of our three specialist speakers is on magic, time will be available for students to interact with the scholars and discuss more general strategies for research, such as the issues of definitions, typologies, disciplinary boundaries and interdisciplinarity, questions of primary and secondary sources, publication, networking and other practical matters of a scholarly life. The chronological focus will not be restricted to the Early Modern period, but will range from the Middle Ages to the 20th Century.

Doors open for registration at 10:30 and the event begins at 11:00.

The day will be divided into three main parts:

1) Oratory: Presentations by guest speakers (chaired by Peter Forshaw & Justin Sausman)

11:10-11:50 > Dr Bernd-Christian Otto (University of Erfurt): Magic in Antiquity
11:50-12:30 > Dr Gyorgy Szonyi (University of Szeged): Magic in Early Modern Europe
12:30-13:10 > Dr Henrik Bogdan (University of Gothenburg): Magic in Modernity
13:10-14:30 Lunch Break
As this is a free event, lunch is not provided, but tables are reserved in the Special Collections cafe-restaurant on the ground floor.

2) Laboratory (14:30-15:30)

Students have the opportunity to discuss practical research issues with the following scholars, in addition to the speakers: Jean-Pierre Brach, Peter Forshaw, Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, Wouter Hanegraaff, Boaz Huss, Andreas Kilcher, Birgit Menzel, Marco Pasi, Mark Sedgwick, Justin Sausman, Demetrius Waarsenburg & Helmut Zander.

3) A roundtable discussion focussed on specific themes (15:30-16:30, chaired by Wouter Hanegraaff)

> Definitions & Typologies: issues of terminology, reification, essentialism, actors’ categories
> Boundary Work: Magic, Science and/or Religion, Hybridity
> Magic & Culture (Elite, Court, Popular)
16:30 Workshop Close, followed by wine and nibbles.

Please note: this is a free event. Venue: Bijzondere Collecties, Oude Turfmarkt 129, Amsterdam

For more details, or to book a place, contact Sara Mulder:

Address: Special Collections (Bijzondere Collecties) of the University of Amsterdam
Oude Turfmarkt 129, 1012 GC Amsterdam
PO Box 94436, 1090 GK Amsterdam
The Netherlands