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Faculty of Humanities
University of Amsterdam

Faculty of Humanities
University of Amsterdam

Hermetic Amsterdam

A full academic programme in the heart of Amsterdam, cutting edge research in esotericism, from antiquity to the present.

Summer school: Arcane Worlds, New Frontiers in the Study of Esotericism 2 – 20 July 2023

Some spots still available! Deadline 1 April

Study & research at the HHP centre

In diversity we unite​

The HHP Centre firmly opposes any ideology based on violence, oppression and discrimination against individuals or communities, whether on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, or any other perceived difference that can be used as a pretext for marginalisation or persecution. The Centre believes in the values of diversity and inclusion, and condemns the aforementioned ideologies in the strongest possible terms. This statement is also in accordance with the Diversity Policy Document of the University of Amsterdam.

Education

Bachelors

The Hermetica Minor – World’s first BA programme in Western esotericism. Discover our Bachelor programme.

Masters

A unique possibility to dive deeper into the history of Western esotericism under the supervision of specialists.

Summer School

This three-week course between 2 July-20 July 2023 offers students at every level and professionals a broad survey of  Western esotericism. Some spots still available: application deadline: 1 April 2023

About the HHP Centre

The HHP Centre

 The world’s leading institute in the field of Western esotericism.

Our staff

Meet the staff. 
Who is who at HHP.

Online resources

Keep track of important resources,  gain easy access to the network

Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica

Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica

The world-famous Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica (BPH), also known as The Ritman Library, is situated in the Embassy of the Free Mind (EFM) and is an indispensable resource for students of Western Esotericism.

News & Events

Deadline 1 April 2023: Summer School "Arcane Worlds, New Frontiers in the Study of Esotericism" on site course 2 - 20 July 2023
In July 2023 the HHP Centre takes part in the Summer School programme at the..
Hermetic Spirituality and the Historical Imagination by Wouter Hanegraaff: PROSE award for the best book in Religious Studies in 2022
Wouter Hanegraafs book Hermetic Spirituality and the Historical Imagination has won the PROSE award for..
Publication: Religious Dimensions of Conspiracy Theories - Comparing and Connecting Old and New Trends
Religious Dimensions of Conspiracy Theories contributes to the study of conspiracy culture by analysing the religious..
Call for Papers “Occultural Transfers between North and South” 1-3 November 2023
This conference is organised by Centre for Comparative Studies of Civilisations and Spiritualities in collaboration..
Lecture by wouter Hanegraaf: Altered States of Knowledge
The title for this lecture is taken from Wouter's recent book Hermetic Spirituality and the Historical imagination: Altered States of Knowledge in Late Antiquity (Cambridge University Pres 2022). The basic claim in the lecture is that all our claims of knowledge ultimately depend on – i.e. are conditioned and constrained by – specific states of consciousness.
Call for Papers: First congress in Mexico of Studies on western Esotericism in Latin America: From the Viceroyalty to the 20th Century
The Institute of Philological Research of the UNAM within the framework of the Project “Esotericism in..

Events

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Student experiences

The students I met only increased HHP’s openness and diversity, as they came from all over the map-geographically, ideologically, and intellectually.

It taught me to think like a historian, to do historic research, to formalize my findings into papers, and to present those findings to an academic audience.

My experience at HHP is one of the most important stages in my academic education.

The interaction with your peers is co-operative rather than competitive, which enables a nurturing learning environment where even socializing feels like education.

I experienced a scholarly milieu that saw me not only as a student, but also as a young scholar, enticing me to participate in conferences and submit articles for journals and anthologies.

It wasn’t just the material that drew me so deeply into the Hermetica program and, ultimately, the field: it was the people, the environment, the feel of HHP.

To be treated as a scholar-in-the-making, as well as being able to discuss my academic passion with likeminded students, is something I truly value with the MA programme in Amsterdam.