About the author
Stuart McWilliams is the author of Magical Thinking: History, Possibility and the Idea of the Occult, published by Continuum in 2012 and reissued by Bloomsbury Academic in 2013. The book responds to renewed scholarly interest in the history of magic by examining how the occult has functioned within methodological debates across the humanities, using case studies ranging from the 'necromancy' of historiographical method to the rationalism of the New Atheism movement. Rather than treating magic as a subject in itself, it uses the idea of the occult as a lens on how historians and other scholars construct knowledge and possibility. The book is written for an academic audience in history and cultural studies, and suits readers interested in the historiography of magic rather than in occult practice.
📖 Where to start with Stuart McWilliams
💬 What our editors say about Stuart McWilliams's books
“McWilliams delivers a rigorous intellectual excavation that appeals primarily to academics and dedicated researchers in religious studies or philosophy. The text demands patience and familiarity with high-level theoretical…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Magical Thinking: History, Possibility and the Idea of the Occult
“McWilliams delivers a meticulous unpacking of the relationship between scholarly inquiry and the concept of magic, highlighting its unsettling influence on intellectual history. The text effectively demonstrates how engaging with…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Magical Thinking: History, Possibility and the Idea of the Occult
