American Academy of Religion is hold its annual meeting San Antonio, TX November 19-22, 2016. Proceedings will include European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism hosting a presentation entitled: The Fear of the Occult: European and American Perspectives.
Four distinguished scholars – including Henrik Bogdan, University of Gothenburg – will make introductory comments exploring four different aspects of this fear, followed by an open discussion. Mark Sedgwick, University of Aarhus, will be presiding.
The event program states:
The fear of the ”occult” is deeply imbedded in Western culture. The witchcraft persecutions during the early modern period and the satanic panic during the 1980’s and early 1990’s are but two examples of this fear. In fact, the fear of magic and other forms of the “occult” goes all the way back to late antiquity, and it shows no tendency to diminish in our present, post-modern times. The construct of the occult, in its various forms, is intrinsically connected to the construct of the “other” of Western culture. As such, it is often contrasted with “accepted” or “normal” forms of religion – people involved with the occult are thus often seen as deviant, ludicrous, or dangerous. Four distinguished scholars will make introductory comments exploring four different aspects of this fear, followed by an open discussion.
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