Forbidden Knowledge: Introduction to Esotericism

This two-week online winter course offers an introductory overview of the study of esotericism as a discipline, historically and presently. It investigates the key thematic aspects of Western esotericism as they have manifested themselves historically within currents such as Hermeticism, Gnosticism, astrology, alchemy, and magic, to name a few. Our investigation into representations of the esoteric and the occult goes beyond the written word to include film, music, and graphic novels. We explore the essential movements in esotericism in the past and reflect on how they manifest themselves today.