Religious Studies and magic. Holly Morse has been awarded £4,150 to run a symposium entitiled 'Hexing the Patriarchy, Spellcasting for Change, and Demonic Democracies: Explorations of Magical Activism and Enchanted Politics.' that will bring together activists and academics whose practice and research relates to the growth of magical knowledge and magical activism in the UK. The aim of the event is to explore interdisciplinary issues relating to increased acceptance of magical practices and the rising popularity of enchanted politics in contemporary social media and protest cultures. Some of the key research questions the symposium aims to address are: To what extent is magic seen as a legitimate form of knowledge in contemporary culture in the UK?; What modes of magic are most popular and contributing to the growing numbers of individuals identifying as witches, Wiccans, Neo Pagans, occultists or other categories of magical practitioners?; What social, cultural, and political contexts have contributed to the rise in magical activism?; To what extent is magical activism a marker of the re-enchantment of the contemporary political landscape?; How can reflection on magical activism encourage new definitions of magic today and how does this relate to historical discourse about magic and transgressive knowledge?
