RENSEP News – Introducing RENSEP at CAS-E
In December of last year, RENSEP founder, trustee and Managing Director, Andrea Centore, got the pleasure of giving a guest talk entitled “The Research Network for the Study of Esoteric Practices (RENSEP),” at the newly founded Centre for Advanced Studies ‘Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices’ at Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.
During his talk, Andrea presented RENSEP’s mission and its approach, highlighting its goal to disperse established boundaries by exploring aspects of friction as well as intersection between academic disciplines dedicated to the study of esoteric practices – such as, but not limited to, history, anthropology, sociology, cognitive study of religion, philology, area studies and neuroscience – between both scholars and practitioners of esoteric practices.
He furthermore elaborated on RENSEP’s unique approach. One based and built around three important elements: the inherent complexity of and global aspect to our subject of study; RENSEP’s research network that will be utilized to challenge disciplinary boundaries; and RENSEP’s online platform that will take the form of a shared cognitive and interactional space.
There is more. The article further mentions the four characteristics RENSEP has identified to demarcate esoteric practices from other forms of religious behaviour, and why the characteristic of “secrecy” – one that has long characterised scholarly definitions of esoteric practices – has been purposely left out of the equation.
As you can guess, this is an interesting read for those who would like to read more about RENSEP from the mind of one of its very own founders. Especially, if one would like to know more about our online platform, which will be fully online from April 2023 onwards. On top of that, the article also elaborates on the Q&A session that succeeded Andrea’s talk at CAS-E. One that made for an interesting and stimulating discussion.
Are you curious for more details and would you like to read the full article? Well, you are in luck, for you can read it in its entirety on the CAS-E website.
