Magic: A Historian's Problem

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

This seminar explores “magic” as a historical practice and a historically perceived phenomenon, and as the object of scholarly attention. Its geographical and chronological scope is intentionally broad, ranging from the Ancient Near East to the modern Americas. It covers big themes in the history of magic, such as witch trials and European encounters with non-European traditions of magic. It also examines the changing set of insights and ground rules that professional historians have adopted regarding what counts as “magic,” how it should be analyzed, and how can it be (and has it been) distinguished from religion and science. The historical study of magic crosses geographic fields, topical specialties, and methodologies; the seminar’s approach will therefore be eclectic and interdisciplinary.