Beyond the West: Towards a New Comparativism in the Study of Esotericism
This article has two main objectives: 1) to account for the relation between definitions, boundaries and comparison in the study of “esotericism” in a systematic manner; 2) to argue for an expansion of comparative research methods in this field. The argument proceeds in three steps. First it is argu...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Aren Roukema
2014-06-01
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| Series: | Correspondences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://correspondencesjournal.com/ojs/ojs/index.php/home/article/download/9/9 |
| _version_ | 1819228984909496320 |
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| author | Egil Asprem |
| author_facet | Egil Asprem |
| author_sort | Egil Asprem |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article has two main objectives: 1) to account for the relation between definitions, boundaries and comparison in the study of “esotericism” in a systematic manner; 2) to argue for an expansion of comparative research methods in this field. The argument proceeds in three steps. First it is argued that a process of academic boundary-work has been instrumental in delimiting esotericism as a historical category. Second, a Lakatosian “ration- al reconstruction” of competing “research programmes” is provided to clarify the relation- ship between views on definition, boundaries and comparison. Third, a typology of differ- ent comparative methods is constructed along two axes: a homological-analogical axis distinguishes between comparison based on shared genealogy (homology) versus purely structural or functional comparisons (analogy), while a synchronic-diachronic axis picks out a temporal dimension.
Historical research programmes have typically endorsed homological comparison, while analogical comparison has remained suspect. This limitation is shown to be entirely arbitrary from a methodological point of view. It is argued that a reconsideration of analogical comparison has the promise of shedding new light on fundamental problems and must be a part of the ongoing theoretical reorientations in the field. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:05:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94d35bcf985c45f49497dd77fec05d0c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-7158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:05:58Z |
| publishDate | 2014-06-01 |
| publisher | Aren Roukema |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Correspondences |
| spelling | doaj.art-94d35bcf985c45f49497dd77fec05d0c2022-12-21T17:49:28ZengAren RoukemaCorrespondences2053-71582014-06-01213339Beyond the West: Towards a New Comparativism in the Study of EsotericismEgil AspremThis article has two main objectives: 1) to account for the relation between definitions, boundaries and comparison in the study of “esotericism” in a systematic manner; 2) to argue for an expansion of comparative research methods in this field. The argument proceeds in three steps. First it is argued that a process of academic boundary-work has been instrumental in delimiting esotericism as a historical category. Second, a Lakatosian “ration- al reconstruction” of competing “research programmes” is provided to clarify the relation- ship between views on definition, boundaries and comparison. Third, a typology of differ- ent comparative methods is constructed along two axes: a homological-analogical axis distinguishes between comparison based on shared genealogy (homology) versus purely structural or functional comparisons (analogy), while a synchronic-diachronic axis picks out a temporal dimension. Historical research programmes have typically endorsed homological comparison, while analogical comparison has remained suspect. This limitation is shown to be entirely arbitrary from a methodological point of view. It is argued that a reconsideration of analogical comparison has the promise of shedding new light on fundamental problems and must be a part of the ongoing theoretical reorientations in the field.http://correspondencesjournal.com/ojs/ojs/index.php/home/article/download/9/9comparative methodhomology and analogyimre lakatosresearch programmesboundarywork |
| spellingShingle | Egil Asprem Beyond the West: Towards a New Comparativism in the Study of Esotericism Correspondences comparative method homology and analogy imre lakatos research programmes boundarywork |
| title | Beyond the West: Towards a New Comparativism in the Study of Esotericism |
| title_full | Beyond the West: Towards a New Comparativism in the Study of Esotericism |
| title_fullStr | Beyond the West: Towards a New Comparativism in the Study of Esotericism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beyond the West: Towards a New Comparativism in the Study of Esotericism |
| title_short | Beyond the West: Towards a New Comparativism in the Study of Esotericism |
| title_sort | beyond the west towards a new comparativism in the study of esotericism |
| topic | comparative method homology and analogy imre lakatos research programmes boundarywork |
| url | http://correspondencesjournal.com/ojs/ojs/index.php/home/article/download/9/9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT egilasprem beyondthewesttowardsanewcomparativisminthestudyofesotericism |