Esotericism, Gender, and Sexuality
About the course
What is the relationship between esotericism (e.g., astrology, alchemy, magic, freemasonry, tarot, and occultism) and issues of gender and sexuality? How have notions of sex, gender, and sexual identity been expressed within esoteric currents over time, and how has esotericism shaped – and been shaped by – political movements such as feminism and the LGBTQ movement? These are some of the questions discussed during this course, which explores the intersection of esotericism, gender, and sexuality. The course approaches esoteric currents as lived and dynamic, and emphasizes continuities as well as changes and points of tension.
The course has digital meetings (via Zoom) at fixed times.
The course is completely web-based without physical meetings.
Course content
The aim of the course is that the student develops advanced knowledge on esotericism (e.g., hermeticism, neoplatonism, kabbalah, magic, astrology, alchemy, freemasonry, occultism) from late antiquity until today with a focus on issues of gender and sexuality. Since antiquity, esoteric currents have been characterized by different notions of sex, gender, and sexual identity. Alchemical, astrological, kabbalistic, and magical texts are permeated by gendered and erotic symbolism, and in modernity esoteric currents have shaped, and been shaped by, political movements such as the women’s movement and the LGBTQ movement. In this course, the student will analyze esotericism from a gender perspective as a dynamic and living religious phenomenon and identify both recurrent themes and points of tension, continuities, and changes.
Entry requirements and selection
Entry requirements
Degree comprising 180 credits at the undergraduate level or equivalent + English 6 or equivalent.
Selection
100% University credits completed
Course evaluation
Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).
