The image of indigenous cultures in the context of contemporary Western alternative spirituality, society, and science

The project aims at the image of indigenous, exotic, or archaic cultures as emerging in contemporary Western society and science influenced by the current trends of alternative spirituality or the New Age. Despite the increasing influence of that particular form of popular culture, its reflection remains insufficient. The research intends to grasp the subject through the analytical and hermeneutical approaches to texts, merging the interests of anthropology, cultural history, and even the history and philosophy of science. The questions include that of (a) how the intellectual heritage of indigenous cultures is appropriated by Western spirituality and how that image in reverse affects those cultures; (b) how the New Age ideas permeate academic discourse and how they impact the scholarly interpretation of the studied societies. The range of indigenous cultures will be restricted to Mesoamerica, particularly to the Maya, which represents one of the most vital sources of Western as well as Czech alternative spirituality. The expected outcomes include 2 monographs and 5 papers.

Project supervisors

Mgr. Jan Kapusta Ph.D.

Mgr. Zuzana Kostićová, Ph.D.