A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult" failed to meet my expectations and left me disappointed. While the book boasts visually appealing illustrations, the writing style falls short in capturing my interest. Rather than presenting a compelling historical narrative, it reads more like a dry and academic document. As part of the course, you will be encouraged to draw on your own experiences in relating to the material taught in the course, through discussions and open questions, such as areas where we might be superstitious, have talismanic objects we turn to, or even have more definite beliefs or disbeliefs in supposed praeternatural forces. She said this reversed a tendency in recent decades to “dismiss the study of magic and the occult”, with the idea that it is “no longer of importance to ‘modern people’”. See the history of witchcraft, magic and superstition come to life with this spectacular supernatural book!

On this 20-week course we will explore the history and practise of magic, spell-craft and the occult from ancient times to the present day. We will learn about witches, fairies, shamans and fortune-tellers, as well as beliefs in curses and ghosts, protective talisman and superstitious fears associated with the occult. Each week we will examine a key theme in the history of magic, assess its place in different cultures around the world, and consider how the theme has changed over time. We will also look at the place of magic and the occult in art, literature and popular culture, from the fairy tales of the Grimm Brothers, to the wizardry of Harry Potter. Special features on aspects of magic, such as oracle bones of ancient China, the Knights Templar, and magic at the movies, and “plants and potions”, such as mandrake and belladonna examine topics in great detail. The multidisciplinary degree, which starts in September 2024, will draw on history, literature, philosophy, archaeology, sociology, psychology, drama and religion to show the role of magic on the west and the east. The perfect introduction to magic and the occult, it explores forms of divination from astrology and palmistry to the Tarot and runestones, mystical plants and potions such as mandrake, the presence of witchcraft in literature from Shakespeare’s Macbeth to the Harry Potter series, and the ways in which magic has interacted with religion. The perfect introduction to magic and the occult, it explores forms of divination from astrology and palmistry to the Tarot and runestones, mystical plants and potions such as mandrake, the presence of witchcraft in literature from Shakespeare's Macbeth to the Harry Potter series, and the ways in which magic has interacted with religion.

Christmas Gifts

The most comprehensive history of witchcraft available, A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult will enthral and fascinate you with its lavish, accessible entries, whether you are a believer or sceptic. Web enrolment starts 1 August 2023. Early bird discounts are available from 1 August to 30 September 2023 From alchemy and modern Wicca to paganism and shamanism, this enchanting book takes you on a mystical journey that will leave you spellbound. This is the perfect introduction to magic and the occult!

Special features on aspects of magic, such as oracle bones of ancient China, the Knights Templar, and magic at the movies, and "plants and potions", such as mandrake and belladonna examine topics in great detail Using the methods of historical study, folklore, anthropology and psychology, we will discover why magic has haunted the human imagination so persistently, and how it continues to resonate even today. Current Imperial College students and staff (incl. Imperial NHS Trust, Imperial Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at Imperial College by third-party contractors) I went looking for a source of information that covered as much of the history of these topics as possible, and that's exactly what I found here. It's a history book, exactly like what you'd expect to get on the first day of any History class in any school in America. First, it is brutally Eurocentric. Almost all discussion of non-Western magic is restricted to the opening chapter on ancient magic, with a few asides on the Aztecs, Voodoo, and European reactions to magical traditions the "discovered." I know enough about East Asian religion to feel that this seriously neglects the ongoing development of ritual and folk magic in China, Korea, and Japan in favor of focusing heavily on European witch trials and hermetic traditions. I find those things interesting too, but there is much more to the world of magic.There is no compulsory reading required for this course, and there is no set course text, but if you would like to read more on the subject we suggest: Este libro nos habla de la magia, el ocultismo y la brujería a lo largo de la historia de la humanidad. Selove said there had been a lot of interest in the course since its launch, with the university receiving more than 100 inquiries.