Esoterik und alternative Religiosität

This textbook approaches the question of the meaning and significance of esotericism and alternative religiosity for the first time from the perspective of global history, which examines cultural exchange processes beyond Europe since the early modern period. The focus is on social debates surrounding the relationship between religion, science, and politics. Of particular importance are aspects such as colonialism and orientalism, social reform, gender, health, and lifestyle as well as the formation of national, ethnic, and religious identities. The volume thus provides a broad readership in the social and cultural sciences with a fundamental understanding of highly relevant historical and current developments.