Introduction to Contemporary Paganism

Why “paganism”? Why “contemporary”? In this first session we’ll start to define our terms and begin thinking about what we mean when we say someone or something is “pagan.” Who fits and who doesn’t? Is it fair to even say that this is a singular movement? We’ll also consider some of the larger themes that arise in the study of these traditions, including polytheism, cultural belonging, the sacralization of nature, and the practice of magic.

In this lecture, students will explore some of the most significant origin points for contemporary Paganism, and meet some of the most influential scholars, poets, and public figures who helped shape the contemporary movement into what we see today.

This week, we’ll track contemporary Paganism as it comes to flourish in the United States. We’ll pay special attention to the counterculture of the 1960s and the role of science fiction in the popularization of Paganism, as well as the propagation of Wicca and its impact on other forms of contemporary witchcraft in the latter decades of the twentieth century.

In week four, we explore the rise of the Goddess and the impact of feminist perspectives on the development of Paganism broadly. Students will meet some of the prominent activists, artists, and community leaders who helped shape this period, as well as discuss the impact that “herstory” had on some of the narratives that Pagans hold most dear.

Witchcraft and Paganism are often conflated, and this week we’ll explore the connections between the two more deeply. Students will consider how the initial popularity of Wicca impacted other traditions, and also how witches of various kinds today have defined and redefined their practices both within and without the confines of “Paganism.”

This week, we’ll explore Paganism outside of the typical narratives of “new religious movements” and “Neo-Paganism.” We’ll consider the survival of “traditional” religion as well as the significance of “folk practices” in the reconstruction of Pagan traditions today.  

In week seven, students will learn about some of the controversies that shape the continued development of these traditions, including nationalism, cultural appropriation, gender and power, and the role of politics more broadly in the practice of magic and ritual.

In this final week, students will again wrestle with larger questions about belonging, continuity, and the tenuousness of defining Paganism today as a singular movement. We’ll also discuss the future of contemporary Paganism, as we consider the impact of social media, the rise of Pagan apocalypticism, and the shifting ways in which individual people come to these traditions and then define their beliefs and practices on their own terms.