The students will get acquainted with core themes of contemporary Alternative ("New Age") Spirituality. The course starts with an introduction both from historical and sociological point of view and proceeds to analyze the relationship of Alternative Spirituality to science and media. Largest part will be dedicated to understanding the underlying cosmological concepts of the New Age movement and their influence on contemporary Alternative Spirituality at large: we will explore the phenomenon of holism and its practical applications. Finally we will briefly touch the relationship between contemporary religion/spirituality and both popular culture and political utopia. Students will gain the ability to understand the New Age and pop-cultural spirituality and find its traces and influences in diverse phenomena, from openly religious/spiritual texts to movies, interviews, rhetoric of diverse pollitical activists etc. While the class aims to give a good introduction to the phenomena suitable for prospective scholars, journalists or writers, it also enables the student on a personal level to reflect and understand Alternative Spirituality, which is increasingly omnipresent in the mainstream. This regardless to the personal convictions of the student - the class welcomes members of traditional religions, Atheists/Agnostics, the spiritual-not-religious and others alike. Open mind is the only requirement.
Last update: Kostićová Zuzana, Mgr., Ph.D. (02.09.2024)
The students will get acquainted with core themes of contemporary Alternative ("New Age") Spirituality. The course starts with an introduction both from historical and sociological point of view and proceeds to analyze the relationship of Alternative Spirituality to science and media. Largest part will be dedicated to understanding the underlying cosmological concepts of the New Age movement and their influence on contemporary Alternative Spirituality at large: we will explore the phenomenon of holism and its practical applications. Finally we will briefly touch the relationship between contemporary religion/spirituality and both popular culture and political utopia. Students will gain the ability to understand the New Age and pop-cultural spirituality and find its traces and influences in diverse phenomena, from openly religious/spiritual texts to movies, interviews, rhetoric of diverse pollitical activists etc. While the class aims to give a good introduction to the phenomena suitable for prospective scholars, journalists or writers, it also enables the student on a personal level to reflect and understand Alternative Spirituality, which is increasingly omnipresent in the mainstream. This regardless to the personal convictions of the student - the class welcomes members of traditional religions, Atheists/Agnostics, the spiritual-not-religious and others alike. Open mind is the only requirement.
Last update: Kostićová Zuzana, Mgr., Ph.D. (02.09.2024)
Syllabus -
The class is divided in the following topics:
1. Introduction. Some views on Post-Modern spirituality. Terminological discussion ("New Age", "spirituality" as (supposedly) opposed to "religion", "spiritualities of life", "holistic milieu", "cultic milieu", "perennialism" etc). 2. A historical introduction: The emergence of the New Age religion in the context of Western Esotericism. 3. A sociological introduction. Modernity and Post-Modernity, the 1960's and their impact on Western society. 4. Holism as the core of the Post-Modern spirituality. The "twin worlds" and "balance". 5. Holism in practice 1: the UFO phenomenon. 6. Holism in practice 2: the psychedelic movement and neo-shamanism. 7. Holism in practice 3: channeling. 8. Practical holism: exotic and archaic cultures, tourism as religious experience. 9. Back to larger context 1: Post-modern spirituality and science. 10. Back to larger context 2: Post-modern spirituality and media. 11. Back to larger context 3: Post-modern spirituality and popular culture. 12. Back to larger context 4: Post-modern spirituality and political activism. 13. Discussion.
For details, see the class' online module at Moodle: https://dl2.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=2559
Last update: Kostićová Zuzana, Mgr., Ph.D. (20.09.2023)
The class is divided in the following topics:
1. Introduction. Some views on Post-Modern spirituality. Terminological discussion ("New Age", "spirituality" as (supposedly) opposed to "religion", "spiritualities of life", "holistic milieu", "cultic milieu", "perennialism" etc). 2. A historical introduction: The emergence of the New Age religion in the context of Western Esotericism. 3. A sociological introduction. Modernity and Post-Modernity, the 1960's and their impact on Western society. 4. Holism as the core of the Post-Modern spirituality. The "twin worlds" and "balance". 5. Holism in practice 1: the UFO phenomenon. 6. Holism in practice 2: the psychedelic movement and neo-shamanism. 7. Holism in practice 3: channeling. 8. Practical holism: exotic and archaic cultures, tourism as religious experience. 9. Back to larger context 1: Post-modern spirituality and science. 10. Back to larger context 2: Post-modern spirituality and media. 11. Back to larger context 3: Post-modern spirituality and popular culture. 12. Back to larger context 4: Post-modern spirituality and political activism. 13. Discussion.
For details, see the class' online module at Moodle: https://dl2.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=2559
Last update: Kostićová Zuzana, Mgr., Ph.D. (20.09.2023)
Course completion requirements -
Only requirement is the active presence at the class, only three absences will be tolerated. In case of long sickness or other serious reasons, please contact the teacher to discuss other possible options. Nevertheless, make sure to do so well in advance.
Last update: Kostićová Zuzana, Mgr., Ph.D. (20.09.2023)
Only requirement is the active presence at the class, only three absences will be tolerated. In case of long sickness or other serious reasons, please contact the teacher to discuss other possible options. Nevertheless, make sure to do so well in advance.
Last update: Kostićová Zuzana, Mgr., Ph.D. (20.09.2023)
Literature -
The class and selected materials and/or study support is also available online at the Moodle: https://dl2.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=2559.
Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, New York: McGraw-Hill 1965.
Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and simulation, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press 1994.
Wouter J. Hanegraaff, New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought, New York a Leiden: Brill 1996.
Paul Heelas, Spiritualities of Life: New Age Romanticism and Consumptive Capitalism, Malden: Blackwell 2008.
William Sims Bainbridge, "The New Age", in The Sociology of Religious Movements, Routledge 1997.
Adam Possamai, Religion and Popular Culture: A Hyper-Real Testament, Brüssel: P.I.E. Peter Lang S.A. 2012.
Heidi Campbell (ed.), Digital Religion: Understanding Religious Practice in New Media Worlds, London, New York: Routledge 2013.
Last update: Kostićová Zuzana, Mgr., Ph.D. (07.09.2020)
The class and selected materials and/or study support is also available online at the Moodle: https://dl2.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=2559.
Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, New York: McGraw-Hill 1965.
Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and simulation, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press 1994.
Wouter J. Hanegraaff, New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought, New York a Leiden: Brill 1996.
Paul Heelas, Spiritualities of Life: New Age Romanticism and Consumptive Capitalism, Malden: Blackwell 2008.
William Sims Bainbridge, "The New Age", in The Sociology of Religious Movements, Routledge 1997.
Adam Possamai, Religion and Popular Culture: A Hyper-Real Testament, Brüssel: P.I.E. Peter Lang S.A. 2012.
Heidi Campbell (ed.), Digital Religion: Understanding Religious Practice in New Media Worlds, London, New York: Routledge 2013.
Last update: Kostićová Zuzana, Mgr., Ph.D. (07.09.2020)
