Some remarks on the study of the Cultural History of Western Esotericism in Latin America
Revista de Estudios Históricos de la Masonería Latinoamericana y Caribeña July 1, 2020 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.15517/rehmlac.v12i1-2.40723 via OpenAlex
Summary
Since the early 1990s, Western esotericism emerged as an academic subject within history. From the early 21st century, research led to specialized journals and three major networks: the Association for the Study of Esotericism, the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism, and the Center for Studies on Western Esotericism/UNASUR. Although the history of Western esotericism in Latin America remains unwritten, the text highlights necessary methodological precautions for this academic field.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | The history of Western esotericism in Latin America has not yet been written, but methodological precautions are needed for studying it. |
Abstract
A comienzos de 1990, el esoterismo occidental emergió como objeto académico dentro de la Historia. Desde inicios del siglo XXI, gracias a un gran caudal de investigación, nuestro campo se desarrolló en dos aspectos: surgieron revistas especializadas y tres grandes redes de especialistas (la Association for the Study of Esotericism-ASE; el European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism-ESSWE; y, nuestro Centro de Estudios sobre el Esoterismo Occidental/UNASUR). Aunque la historia del esoterismo occidental en América Latina aún no se ha escrito, nos parece pertinente señalar algunas prevenciones metodológicas en el ámbito de este campo académico.