Academic Conferences

Academic conferences covering themes of interest to Treadwell's are listed below. Conference organizers are invited to send details to the shop for consideration to be listed here.

CESNUR Conference
16-20 April 2008 - Central London
Full programme / registration: http://www.cesnur.org/2008/london_prg.htm

The Centre for Studies on New Religions holds its conference is this year at the London School of Economics in conjunction with INFORM and ISORECEA. It is probably the largest and most important gathering of scholars on paganism, thelema, shamanism, and contemporary occultism, though the conference covers New Religious Movements broadly. Anyone can attend, not just those with university affiliations. Here are some of the sessions and papers which will appeal to the esoterically and pagan inclined Treadwellian.

Session: From Witchcraft to Wicca
(Chair: Dorota Hall)

The Baha’i Faith and Wicca - A Comparison of Relevance in Two Emerging Religions
Lil ABDO (SOAS, London)

Wicca in Italy: An Outsider’s Inside View
Francesca CIANCIMINO HOWELL (Doctoral Candidate, Open University, Milton Keynes)

Spelling out History: Transforming Witchcraft Past and Present
Helen CORNISH (Goldsmiths. University of London)

Session: 20 Years of Pagan Movements & Studies I
(Chair: Jerry Hejka-Ekins)

Paganism in London: Three Degrees of Openness
Maria BALFER (University of Koblenz-Landau)

Online and Offline - Locating Pagan Community
Angela COCO (Southern Cross University, Lismore)

The Glastonbury Effect: An Overview
Marion BOWMAN (Open University, Milton Keynes)

Session: 20 Years of Pagan Movements & Studies II
(Chair Jean-Pierre LAURANT)

The Role of Nature, Deities and Ancestors in Constructing Religious Identity in Contemporary Druidry
Michael COOPER (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield)

Digital Pantheon
Antonio COSENZA (University of Palermo)

Esotericism versus Neo-Paganism?
Reka SZILARDI (University of Szeged)

Session: Western Esotericism & New Religiosity II
(Chair: PierLuigi ZOCCATELLI)

The Birth of the New Aeon: Magick and Mysticism of Thelema
Gordan DJURDJEVIC (University of British Columbia, Vancouver)

The Political Implications of the Rune-Gild World View
Thomas KARLSSON (Doctoral Candidate, University of Stockholm)

“We Demand Bedrock Knowledge”: Modern Satanism Between Secularized Esotericism and Esotericised Secularism
Jesper Aagard PETERSEN (Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim)

Western Esotericism and the Study of New Religiosity
Kennet GRANHOLM (Abo Akademi University, Turku)

Session: 20 Years of Studies on Pagan and Entheogenic Movements
(Chair: Marco PASI)

Recent Developments in Paganism and Research
Graham HARVEY (Open University, Milton Keynes)

Modern Paganism and Post-Materialist Value Change
Mika LASSANDER (Doctoral candidate, Open University, Milton Keynes)

Twenty Years of Pagan Studies: Lessons from the Past, Current Developments, and Guidelines for the Future Study of Paganism
Melissa HARRINGTON (King’s College, London)

"Give Me Love, Give Me Light": Contemporary Visions and Prayers with Ayahuasca in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Tania SOIBELMAN (Research group on Visual Anthropology, UFAL - Federal University of Alagoas)

Session: 20 Years of Studies on Esotericism I
(Chair: Kennet GRANHOLM)

Openings for Power-Orientated Conceptualization of Western Esotericism
Nina KOKKINEN (Doctoral Candidate, University of Turku)

New Age Terrorists from Chechnya and Anthroposophist Presidents from Georgia: How ‘Western’ Is Western Esotericism?
Eduard TEN HOUTEN (University of Amsterdam)

Conspiracy Theory as Esoteric Discourse
Sara THEJLS (University of Copenhagen)

“Traditional New Religions”: The Use of Tradition Among Contemporary Esoteric Movements
Fredrik GREGORIUS (Doctoral Candidate, University of Lund)

Session: 20 Years of Studies on Esotericism II
(Chair: James A. SANTUCCI)

French Alchemical Groups of the Second Half of the 20th Century
José ANES (University “Nova de Lisboa”)

Playing With a Tradition or Belonging to Another Tradition? The Gnostic Beliefs in Some Minority Religious Groups
Régis DERICQUEBOURG (Charles De Gaulle-Lille 3 University)

Taming the Visionary Imagination: Revelation and Authority in French Spiritism, 1858-1870
John MONROE (Iowa State University, Ames)

Session: 20 Years of Studies on Aleister Crowley
(Chair: Jean-Pierre BRACH)

Painting Dead Souls: New Discoveries on Aleister Crowley and Art
Marco PASI (University of Amsterdam)

The Scientific Aeon: Magic, Science and Psychology in Crowley’s Scientific Illuminism
Egil ASPREM (University of Amsterdam)

The Bhikku and the Magus: Exploring Allan Bennett’s Influence on Aleister Crowley
John L. CROW (University of Amsterdam)

Crowleyan Echoes: Baraka and Fantasy
Dave EVANS (Bristol University)

Association of Polytheist Traditions Conference
Local Deities - Gods of the Land
Saturday 19th April 2008

Come and learn about the old deities of Britain, the gods in the landscape of Birmingham and the West Midlands. Come and tell us about your spiritual practice now. . AGM 10-12 ; Speakers and discussion 1.30-4.30 In the evening we're heading for a local hostelry for ale and good company. All welcome – we ask for a small donation (to help cover cost of the room) or a raffle prize. Please contact the APT for info or to let us know you will attend – email mailto:manygods@gmail.com. Venue: Conference room 4, Birmingham Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ.