Magic in the Modern World: Strategies of Repression and Legitimization Bever, Edward

Name: Magic in the Modern World: Strategies of Repression and Legitimization Bever, Edward
Price: 40.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Bever, Edward; , Styers, Randall
ISBN: 9780271077789

✍️ Bever, Edward; , Styers, Randall

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📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Unravel how modernity's "rational" facade both represses and redefines magic.

This compelling collection delves into the intricate relationship between magic and the modern world, charting how contemporary society initially defined itself in stark opposition to esoteric practices. It then illuminates the ingenious ways magic's proponents have adapted, finding new avenues for legitimization through evolving forms of esotericism and supernaturalism. The essays explore the construction of the modern self, examining how both scientific and magical traditions rationalize their truths, and revealing why many, disillusioned with modern norms, turn to magical systems, actively shaping their contemporary relevance and acceptance.

Key themes

{'title': 'Repression of Magic', 'body': 'Explore how the foundational tenets of modernity actively sought to marginalize and discredit magical thought, branding it as superstition. This collection dissects the historical processes through which rational consciousness was established, often by explicitly casting magic as its intellectual and cultural antithesis, shaping our collective understanding of what is deemed valid and true.'} {'title': 'Legitimization Strategies', 'body': 'Discover the diverse and often ingenious methods employed by modern magical practitioners to assert the validity of their craft. The essays reveal how various esoteric and supernatural traditions have strategically embraced and adapted to contemporary frameworks, ensuring their persistence and even flourishing, despite dominant cultural narratives that deny their efficacy or existence.'} {'title': 'Modern Self & Magic', 'body': "Unpack the complex interplay between individual identity in the modern era and the enduring allure of magic. This volume examines how the construction of the 'modern self' can lead to dissatisfaction with purely rationalist worldviews, prompting a search for meaning and empowerment in magical practices, and how these practitioners navigate their beliefs within a skeptical society."}

🏛 Penn State University Press 📅 2018 📖 216 pages 📔 Paperback 📐 Paperback ISBN: 9780271077789

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Fun fact

This profound collection offers an essential academic lens on magic's dynamic existence through history and into the present. It excels at deconstructing the intricate interplay between societal repression and the enduring human need for enchantment, making it indispensable for scholars and serious students of esoteric history. Those seeking practical spells or an uncritical celebration of magic might find its analytical rigor less engaging. However, for a deep dive into the cultural mechanics of belief and legitimization, it stands as a pivotal contribution to Magick Studies.

📝 Description: Magic in the Modern World: Strategies of Repression and Legitimization Bever, Edward

This collection of essays considers the place of magic in the modern world, first by exploring the ways in which modernity has been defined in explicit opposition to magic and superstition, and then by illuminating how modern proponents of magic have worked to legitimize their practices through an overt embrace of evolving forms such as esotericism and supernaturalism. Taking a two-track approach, this book explores the complex dynamics of the construction of the modern self and its relation to the modern preoccupation with magic. Essays examine how modern "rational" consciousness is generated and maintained and how proponents of both magical and scientific traditions rationalize evidence to fit accepted orthodoxy. This book also describes how people unsatisfied with the norms of modern subjectivity embrace various forms of magic--and the methods these modern practitioners use to legitimate magic in the modern world. A compelling assessment of magic from the early modern period to today, Magic in the Modern World shows how, despite the dominant culture's emphatic denial of their validity, older forms of magic persist and develop while new forms of magic continue to emerge. In addition to the editors, contributors include Egil Asprem, Erik Davis, Megan Goodwin, Dan Harms, Adam Jortner, and Benedek Láng.

⭐ Reader reviews

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⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

For those fascinated by the cultural history of ideas, the evolution of belief systems, or the ongoing dialogue between science and esotericism, this book offers profound insights. If you ponder how magic survives and transforms in an increasingly secular age, this scholarly inquiry is for you.

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❓ Frequently asked questions

No, this is a scholarly academic work that analyzes the cultural and historical role of magic, not a manual for magical practice. It focuses on the 'why' and 'how' of magic's societal presence.

While it traces magic from the early modern period, a significant portion is dedicated to understanding how magic continues to evolve and legitimize itself in the contemporary world, extending to modern esoteric movements.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Repression of Magic

Explore how the foundational tenets of modernity actively sought to marginalize and discredit magical thought, branding it as superstition. This collection dissects the historical processes through which rational consciousness was established, often by explicitly casting magic as its intellectual and cultural antithesis, shaping our collective understanding of what is deemed valid and true.

Legitimization Strategies

Discover the diverse and often ingenious methods employed by modern magical practitioners to assert the validity of their craft. The essays reveal how various esoteric and supernatural traditions have strategically embraced and adapted to contemporary frameworks, ensuring their persistence and even flourishing, despite dominant cultural narratives that deny their efficacy or existence.

Modern Self & Magic

Unpack the complex interplay between individual identity in the modern era and the enduring allure of magic. This volume examines how the construction of the 'modern self' can lead to dissatisfaction with purely rationalist worldviews, prompting a search for meaning and empowerment in magical practices, and how these practitioners navigate their beliefs within a skeptical society.

💬 Quotes from the book

«The very definition of 'modern' consciousness was forged in the crucible of its perceived opposition to the 'superstitious' and the 'magical.'»

«Despite scientific hegemony, the human impulse for enchantment persists, finding new languages and frameworks for expression within the contemporary landscape.»

📜 Historical context

Spanning from the early modern period to our present day, this work offers a critical assessment of magic's journey through centuries of societal change. It stands as a significant contribution to Magick Studies, tracing the continuous development and adaptation of magical practices against a backdrop of shifting intellectual paradigms and persistent cultural resistance, revealing its enduring presence.

📚 Glossary

Esotericism
Legitimization
Modernity

📔 Questions to reflect on

Reflect on how your personal understanding of 'magic' has been shaped by societal narratives. Do you see magic as inherently opposed to rationality, or can they coexist?
Consider examples in contemporary culture where seemingly 'irrational' or 'magical' beliefs gain legitimacy. What strategies are used to make them acceptable or even appealing?
How does the concept of the 'modern self' influence an individual's inclination towards or rejection of esoteric practices? What does embracing magic offer that modern norms might lack?