Course Info

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Course Info for RELG - 200 - 01, Spring 2023
Class number: 2889 Title: Western Occultism Department: Religious Studies
Career: Undergraduate Component: Lecture Session: Regular
Instructor's Permission Required: No Grading Basis: Regular Units: 1.00
Enrollment limited to 19 Current enrollment: 8 Available seats: 11
Start date: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 End date: Friday, May 12, 2023 Mode of Instruction: In Person
Schedule: M: 1:30PM-4:10PM, MC - 106 Instructor(s): Landry, Timothy
Prerequisite(s): None
Distribution Requirement: Meets Social Sciences and Global Requirements
Course Description:
This course offers an introduction to Western occultism and esotericism. We will cover topics such as magic, mediation, astrology, and alchemy. Students will examine the connections between esotericism and science and explore how the esoteric sciences have been inspired by trends in Jewish Mysticism, transcendentalism, and romanticism. This course will also document the histories, rites, and practices of several important occult practices including Hermeticism, New Age spiritualities, Neo-Paganism, Wicca, and Satanism. In so doing, students will begin to unravel the occult's hidden role in the formation of the Western world and beyond - especially as it relates to issues of class, race, and gender.