The Partington Prize 2011 The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry has established the Partington Prize in memory of Professor James Riddick Partington, the Society’s first Chairman. It is awarded every three years for an original and unpublished essay on any aspect of the history of alchemy or chemistry. The prize consists of five hundred pounds (£500). The competition is open to anyone with a scholarly interest in the history of alchemy or chemistry who, by the closing date of 31 December 2010 has not reached 35 years of age, or if older has completed a doctoral thesis in the history of science within the previous three years. Scholars from any country may enter the competition, but entries must be submitted in English and must not have been previously submitted to another journal. The prize-winning essay will be published in the Society’s journal, Ambix. One hard copy of the entry, word processed on one side of the paper, should be submitted, along with a copy of the entry on disc. We prefer files to be in Microsoft Word XP, if possible. Essays must be fully documented using the conventions used in the current issue of Ambix. Essays must not exceed 10,000 words in length, including references and footnotes. All entries must be submitted with a word count. All entries should be sent to John Perkins, Hon Treasurer, Centre for Health, Medicine and Society, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP, with the words “Partington Prize” written clearly on the envelope. Each entry should contain a separate title page giving the author’s name, institution, postal address, email address and date of birth (and if relevant the date of completion of their thesis). The author’s name and contact details must not appear on the pages of the essay as the identity of the author will not be made available to the judges. Essays (no more than one from each competitor) must be received no later than 31 December 2010. The decision of the judges appointed by the Council will be final. The Society reserves the right to divide the prize between two or more entries of equal merit, or not to award a prize should no essay be deemed of suitable standard. The name of the winner will be announced by 30 April 2011, and all essays will be returned to competitors soon after that date.

TRADIZIONI FILOSOFICHE E TRADIZIONI MISTICHE, MAGICHE ED ESOTERICHE: MODELLI DI RAZIONALITÀ A CONFRONTO Seminario di Studi Universita di Cagliari 17-18 March 2010 MERCOLEDÌ 17 MARZO, h. 15.30 Apertura dei lavori MARIA TERESA MARCIALIS Coordinatore del Dottorato in Discipline filosofiche PIER LUIGI LECIS Presidente del Corso di Laurea in Filosofia h. 16:00 COORDINA MICHELE CAMEROTA Università di Cagliari ROBERTO SIRIGU Università di Cagliari Archeologia. Analisi del sommerso, fra suggestioni e mestiere TIZIANA PONTILLO Università di Cagliari “Gli dèi amano ciò che è mistico” ma gli uomini non rinunciano alla “ragione”: tendenze dell’esegesi tardo-vedica Pausa caffè h. 17:00 ELISABETTA CATTANEI Università di Cagliari “Esprimere l’Ineffabile in figure”: geometria e teurgia in Proclo FRANCESCA M. CRASTA Università di Cagliari Filosofia naturale ed esegesi biblica in Emanuel Swedenborg GIOVEDÌ 18 MARZO, h. 15.30 COORDINA VANNA GESSA KUROTSCHKA Università di Cagliari RENZO RAGGHIANTI Scuola Normale Superiore Misticismo, simbolica, mito fra Cousin e Bergson ANDREA ORSUCCI Università di Cagliari Magia e religiosità popolare: le discussioni in Germania fra ‘800 e ‘900 MARCO PASI Universiteit van Amsterdam Esoterismo e modernità: il problema della politica Discussione

Ortodossie ed Eterodossie in Eta Moderna Seminario di Studi Universita di Cagliari 11-12 March 2010 ELISABETTA GOLA Presidente corso di laurea in Scienze della Comunicazione – Università di Cagliari Apertura dei lavori MICHELE CAMEROTA Università di Cagliari Introduzione NICK WILDING Georgia State University / American Academy in Rome Heterodox Identities: Pseudonymous Publication and Natural Philosophy FEDERICO BARBIERATO Università di Verona “Bis archibis chirieleison”. Circolazione di conoscenze e testi magici nella Venezia del Seicento MARCO PASI Universiteit van Amsterdam Konx Om Pax: il mistero dei misteri VENERDI 12 MARZO, h. 9,30 AULA 6 FRANCESCA CRASTA Università di Cagliari Introduzione GUIDO DALL’OLIO Università di Urbino Carlo Bo Ortodossia ed eterodossia nell'Italia pre-tridentina GIOVANNA GRANATA Università di Cagliari Come rendere ortodosse le letture dei religiosi: le biblioteche conventuali e l’Indice MARIA PIA DONATO Università di Cagliari Eresie illuministiche? Scienza e Inquisizione ai tempi di Benedetto XIV

Edited by Susanne Scholz (Perkins School of Theology/Southern Methodist University, USA) and Caroline Vander Stichele (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands) A key text for Jews and Christians is Genesis 1-3, which recounts the story of the creation and of the Garden of Eden. These two episodes have had an enormous effect on subsequent Western thought in terms of the emergence (as well as the rejection) of science, attitudes towards human nature, and the construction of social and cultural norms. For this volume we are interested in papers that discuss, compare, and/or analyze esoteric readings or appropriations of Genesis 1-3 from antiquity to the present, including esoteric literatures such as the Gnostic, Dead Sea, and Nag Hammadi libraries, the Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism, and Hermeticism, as well as esoteric thinkers, such as Jacob Boehme, Emanuel Swedenborg, Eliphas Lévi, Helena Blavatsky, Rudolf Steiner, René Guénon, etc. Possible topics include creation myths, gender, fate and free will, concepts of knowledge/wisdom/gnosis, the origin of good and evil, life and death, the idea of a “fall,” the afterlife, as well as how esoteric interpretations address issues of gender or race, as well as other social categories, and explorations of experiential esoteric approaches of Genesis 1-3. Also welcome are more theoretical-historical oriented contributions discussing the issue of how to integrate esotericism with biblical studies, as well as discussions of what has been done in this respect in the past. Proposals, including a (provisional) title, short abstract (150-250 words) and biographical note, are due with the editors before the end of February 2010. Articles that are accepted are due before the end of January 2011. Susanne Scholz () Caroline Vander Stichele ()

Title: A new program for the academic study of esotericism and related subjects in the USA As of 2009, the Religious Studies Department at Rice University offers an area of concentration in Gnosticism, Esotericism and Mysticism (GEM) for PhD students, with graduate seminars in all three areas held on a rotating basis. For further information on the program see here: http://reli.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=284

We invite articles for a forthcoming book, _Esotericism, Religion, and Politics_, the third volume in the Studies in Esotericism series, this one focusing on the political implications or aspects of esoteric religious groups, figures, or movements. What are the political associations of particular figures, groups, or movements within Western esotericism? In what senses can a particular esoteric figure or movement be seen as political? Some modern authors, for instance, Julius Evola, and indeed many affiliated with Traditionalism, often are identified as politically to the Right. Is there an esotericism that lends itself to the Left? What does it mean to say that a given religious figure or group within Western esotericism is "radical"? How have charges of magical practice been allied with political accusations against minority groups, and in what ways? Are there political implications for particular variants of mysticism? We expect that articles will offer insight into the political implications of historical or contemporary aspects of Western esotericism. We anticipate that, like the previous volumes in the series, this one will be divided into thematic sections that might include "Magic," "Mysticism," "Traditionalism," or "New Religions," to give only some examples. Articles should be submitted with endnotes, and according to the Chicago Manual of Style in most regards, and if any illustrations are proposed, they should be submitted as separate 300 dpi .tiff files. Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any images. You can find details on previous volumes in the series, and updates on this current book in the series, at www.aseweb.org or www.esoteric.msu.edu Please send formal proposals (a paragraph or two with a title is sufficient) for possible relevant articles to  by February 15, 2010. Completed articles proposed for the volume are due by August 15, 2010, and should be sent as electronic files to , with a cc: to Arthur Versluis at versluis (at) msu.edu, to whom relevant queries may be directed.

Robert Collis receives the ESSWE Thesis Prize for 2007-09 for an outstanding European Ph.D. thesis on Western Esotericism, “The Petrine Instauration: Religion, Esotericism and Science at the Court of Peter the Great, 1689-1725”.

Dr. Peter Forshaw has been elected as Assistant Professor for the History of Western Esotericism in the Early Modern period. He will succeed Dr. Kocku von Stuckrad who moves to the University of Groningen as Professor of Religious Studies. Dr. Forshaw's appointment at GHF will begin on september 1, 2009. Peter Forshaw researched his doctorate in Intellectual History at Birkbeck, University of London, and was then awarded a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship for research into the history of early modern magic. He is currently an Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of English Studies at the University of Strathclyde, a Research Fellow in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Cambridge, and Honorary Fellow in the University of Exeter's School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and in the School of English and Humanities at Birkbeck. He is co-convenor (with Stephen Clucas) of EMPHASIS: Early Modern Philosophy and the Scientific Imagination Seminar, which has been held monthly during the academic year in the Institute of English Studies, London, since 2003, and is elected council member and webmaster of both the Society for Renaissance Studies and SHAC: The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry. Peter's research focuses on the confluence of learned magic, science and religion in early modern Europe. At Strathclyde he has been working with Professor Jonathan Sawday on the 'Art of Fire', a project investigating the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century alchemical and magical works in The James Young Collection at the University of Strathclyde. In Cambridge he has been working with Dr Lauren Kassell and Dr Rob Ralley on The Casebooks Project: An Edition and Database of Simon Forman's and Richard Napier's Astrological Casebooks, 1596-1643. He is preparing a book The Mage's Images: Occult Theosophy in Heinrich Khunrath's Early Modern Oratory and Laboratory, for Brill's Studies in Intellectual History.

The Center for “History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents” (GHF) at the University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Humanities, is looking for An Assistant Professor (m/f) History of Western Esotericism in the Early Modern Period The Center for “History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents” (Geschiedenis van de Hermetische Filosofie en verwante stromingen; GHF) at the University of Amsterdam (www.amsterdamhermetica.nl) is a pioneering institution for research and teaching in the academic study of Western Esotericism. It concentrates in particular on the history of Renaissance Platonism and Hermetism, prisca theologia and occulta philosophia in the early modern period and their later developments; alchemical, magical, astrological, Paracelsian and Rosicrucian currents; Jewish and Christian kabbalah; Christian theosophy and Illuminism; and various occultist and related developments during the 19th and 20th centuries, including the New Age movement. GHF has currently a vacancy for the position of Assistant Professor (“Universitair Docent”) for the History of Western Esotericism in the Early Modern Period. A successful candidate will have a good record of high quality academic publications focused on one or more currents in this domain, and solid general knowledge of the domain as a whole. As a generalist in the study of Western Esotericism in the Early Modern Period s/he can teach all its main aspects on both undergraduate and graduate levels. - Research. The Assistant Professor will be expected to initiate personal research projects in the field of esoteric currents in Western culture since the Renaissance, focusing on the early modern period (15th-18th cent.), and to publish actively in the appropriate scholarly media. S/he will also be expected to collaborate in common research activities with the other staff members of the subdepartment, and with staff members of other departements of the Faculty if the occasion calls for it. - Teaching. GHF offers a “minor” Western esotericism in the context of the Bachelor program Religious Studies (in Dutch), and a full-time trajectory “Mysticism and Western Esotericism” in the context of the Master program Religious Studies (in English). The Assistant Professor will be expected to teach courses in both programs, both in lecture and in seminar settings. If necessary, s/he is expected to master the Dutch language during the first two years of the appointment. - Organization/Administration. Within reasonable limits the Assistant Professor may be asked to be active in one or more special committees of the Faculty. Candidates should fit the following profile: Ph.D. (or equivalent) in a discipline of the humanities. Specialization in, or relevant to, one or more areas of historical research belonging to the domain of “Western esotericism” in the early modern period (15th-18th century), having resulted in academic publications of high quality. Active interest in interdisciplinary research and teamwork in the context of the humanities and the social sciences. Good didactic qualities. Good command of Latin and English non-native Dutch speakers must achieve fluency in Dutch within two years. Willingness to develop in a multidisciplinary capacity in order to be able to participate in multiple areas of the Faculty's curriculum. Appointment This is a temporary appointment for two years, starting on 1 September 2009. Satisfactory performance is subject for a permanent appointment. The gross monthly salary will range from € 3195 (scale 11) to € 4970 (scale 12), based on a full-time appointment (38 hours a week). Letters of application, with C.V. and list of publications, should be sent to: Prof. Dr. W.J. Hanegraaff, Fac. Of Humanities/Department of Art, Religion and Cultural Studies, Oude Turfmarkt 147, NL-1012 GC Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e-mail:  For general information, contact Mrs. H. Nobach (secretary) at the same address. Email  Deadline for letters of application: 23 March 2009.

Call for Papers for a panel, to be held at the EASR conference “Religion in the History of European Culture” Messina, 14-17 September 2009 Panel: ‘The presence of esoteric currents and ideas in Italy from the 18th century to our days’ Convenor: Marco Pasi (University of Amsterdam) A significant amount of research has been done in Italy on the history of esoteric ideas, but this has been mainly focused on the late Middle Ages or the early modern period. From the presence of magic, alchemy, and astrology in medieval thought, to the revival of Hermetic and Neoplatonic ideas during the Renaissance up to the Scientific Revolution, the importance of this field of research for the history of Italian culture has been widely acknowledged. But the permanence of these ideas and cultural traditions in Italy in the period that begins with the Enlightenment, has perhaps received less attention from academic scholars, and still offers many interesting, potentially fruitful threads for research. These include for instance the influence in Italy of Swedenborgianism and of animal magnetism, the spreading of an esoterically oriented high-degree freemasonry, the impact of spiritualism, occultism, traditionalism, neopaganism, and, more recently, of New Age ideas. The announcement of the preparation of a volume devoted to the history of esotericism in Italy in the prestigious series of the Annali Einaudi is perhaps the occasion to focus on these different currents and ideas in the late modern period. Proposals focusing on historiographical aspects, i.e. in particular on the history of the study of esoteric currents and ideas in the 20th century in Italy will also be particularly welcome. Proposals can be submitted either in Italian or in English. Both languages will be accepted for the panel. Deadline for proposal submission is 31 March 2009 Proposals, together with a brief curriculum, should be sent to Marco Pasi: m.pasi@uva.nl For more information on the conference and registration see:

http://ww2.unime.it/easr09/eng/index.html
http://www.easr.eu