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Syllabus Esoteric thinking in the 20th century: Rudolf Steiner Martin Buber and others - 32872
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Last update 06-09-2020
HU Credits: 2

Degree/Cycle: 2nd degree (Master)

Responsible Department: German Language & Literature

Semester: 1st Semester

Teaching Languages: Hebrew

Campus: Mt. Scopus

Course/Module Coordinator: Amir Engel

Coordinator Email: amir.engel@mail.huji.ac.il

Coordinator Office Hours: Wed. 9-10

Teaching Staff:
Dr. Amir Engel

Course/Module description:
It is something of a truism to describe the turn of the twentieth century as a moment of radical change. New scientific discoveries in, for example, organic chemistry and quantum mechanics revolutionized the way the universe was understood and made unimaginable technologies possible. As a result, it seemed, established religions, which had shaped the social realm for centuries, experienced a sharp decline in influence as church attendance dropped dramatically. Scholars tended to believe that this moment meant that secularization was entering its decisive stage. But this was not to be. More recent studies have shown that the history of religion in the twentieth century is much more complicated. We know, for example, that even during this “late modern” period, religious institutions continued to exude power and influence society. We also know, no less importantly, that new religions, new spiritual teachings, and new cosmological theories gained tremendous popularity. The purpose of this seminar is to examine some of the most influential esoteric trends in the first part of the twentieth century and to reflect on their role in shaping the period’s history.


Course/Module aims:
See description above

Learning outcomes - On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
See description above

Attendance requirements(%):
100

Teaching arrangement and method of instruction:

Course/Module Content:
The reading material includes methodological considerations about how to approach esoteric thoughts, chapters in esoteric history, and primary sources:

Faivre, Antoine. 1998. “Questions of Terminology Proper to the Study of Esoteric Currents in Modern and Contemporary Europe.”
Hanegraaff, Wouter J. 2012. Esotericism and the Academy.
———. 2013. Western Esotericism: A Guide for the Perplexed.
Josephson-Storm, Jason A. 2017. The Myth of Disenchantment: Magic, Modernity, and the Birth of the Human Sciences
Stuckrad, Kocku von. 2005. “Western Esotericism: Towards an Integrative Model of Interpretation.”

Kurlander, Eric. 2017. Hitler’s Monsters: A Supernatural History of the Third Reich.
Treitel, Corinna. 2004. A Science for the Soul: Occultism and the Genesis of the German Modern

Rudolf Steiner, Esoteric Development.
-------- An Outline of Esoteric Science.
Buber, Martin. Drei Reden über das Judentum.
——— The Legend of the Baal-Shem.
Pinthus, Kurt Menschheitsdämmerung: Dawn of Humanity: A Document of Expressionism
Nietzsche, Friedrich. Untimely Meditations

Required Reading:
See list above

Additional Reading Material:

Course/Module evaluation:
End of year written/oral examination 0 %
Presentation 0 %
Participation in Tutorials 10 %
Project work 70 %
Assignments 20 %
Reports 0 %
Research project 0 %
Quizzes 0 %
Other 0 %

Additional information:
 
Students needing academic accommodations based on a disability should contact the Center for Diagnosis and Support of Students with Learning Disabilities, or the Office for Students with Disabilities, as early as possible, to discuss and coordinate accommodations, based on relevant documentation.
For further information, please visit the site of the Dean of Students Office.
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