Spellbound: A History of Witchcraft, Magic and the Occult
At a Glance
- Live online course
- 20 weeks | October - March
- Wednesdays 19:00 - 21:00
- Fees from £270
- Tutor: Dr Tom Waters
Enrolment deadline
8 October 2023
Tom Waters Podcast
The celebrated necromancer and court magician to Queen Elizabeth I, John Dee, was said to have owned a ‘black mirror’ that enabled him to see into the future, as well as a magic crystal, inhabited by a daemon, that could cure kidney disease. Of course, that was in the sixteenth century and in our society we no longer believe in such things. Except that even today many people have a superstitious terror of breaking mirrors, and shops selling supposedly healing crystals can be found in many of Britain towns and cities.
On this 20-week course we will explore the history and practise of magic, spell-craft and the occult from ancient times to the present day. We will learn about witches, fairies, shamans and fortune-tellers, as well as beliefs in curses and ghosts, protective talisman and superstitious fears associated with the occult. Each week we will examine a key theme in the history of magic, assess its place in different cultures around the world, and consider how the theme has changed over time. We will also look at the place of magic and the occult in art, literature and popular culture, from the fairy tales of the Grimm Brothers, to the wizardry of Harry Potter.
Using the methods of historical study, folklore, anthropology and psychology, we will discover why magic has haunted the human imagination so persistently, and how it continues to resonate even today.
As part of the course, you will be encouraged to draw on your own experiences in relating to the material taught in the course, through discussions and open questions, such as areas where we might be superstitious, have talismanic objects we turn to, or even have more definite beliefs or disbeliefs in supposed praeternatural forces.
No previous knowledge of the subject is necessary, and the course is organised to encourage discussion and debate in an informal setting.
Class Recordings
Where feasible, for this course sessions will be recorded for subsequent viewing
Attendance Certificate
Successful completion of this course leads to the award of an Imperial College attendance certificate
Terms and conditions apply to all enrolments to this course. Please read them before enrolment
Course Information
Course Programme and Additional Reading
Programme listed is indicative only and may be subject to modification
Autumn term
1. Religion’s weird sister: defining magic
2. Voodoo dolls and cursing slates: effigy magic since ancient times
3. Stone circles and healing wells: magic and the landscape
4. Celtic folklore: fairies and curses
5. A ‘witch craze’? Witchcraft in Europe, c. 1400-1750
6. Obeah and Voodoo in the Caribbean
7. The cunning-craft
8. Shamans and shape-shifters
9. Grimoires: the history of magic books
*** Christmas break ***
Spring term
10. Mesmerism, spiritualism, and the Victorian occult revival
11. Devils and demons: jinn, exorcism and deliverance
12. Alas poor ghost: restless spirits and second lives
13. Cursed Britain: evil magic after the witch trials
14. Making a fortune: fortune-telling and tarot cards
15. Military magic: the supernatural during war and conflict
16. Curse of a continent? Witchcraft in modern Africa
17. From Brothers Grimm to Harry Potter: the power of the magical imagination
18. Traditional Chinese folk magic
19. New witchcrafts for a New Age? Baphomet and Satanism, wicca and hedge witchcraft
20. A global magical revival? Occultism today
Reading suggestions:
There is no compulsory reading required for this course, and there is no set course text, but if you would like to read more on the subject we suggest:
- Thomas Waters, Cursed Britain: A History of Witchcraft and Black Magic in Modern Times (Yale University Press, 2019)
Your Tutor
Spellbound is taught by Dr Thomas Waters. Tom is an expert on the history of magic who has taught at the universities of Oxford, Leeds, Derby and Hertfordshire, as well as here at Imperial College.
Tom has published numerous articles on the modern history of witchcraft, and his new book, Cursed Britain: A History of Witchcraft and Black Magic in Modern Times, will be published by Yale University Press in August 2019.
Visit Dr Waters' webpage.
Course Fees and Discounts
| Weeks | Standard Rate | Internal Rate | Associate Rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Early Bird: £453 Full price: £503 |
Early Bird: £270 Full price: £300 |
Early Bird: £356 Full price: £396 |
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| All fee rates quoted are for the whole 2-term course. Early Bird rates available 1 August to 30 September 2023 only. Part-payments are not possible. | |||||
Rate Categories and Discounts
Standard Rate
- Available to all except those who fall under the Internal Rate or Associate Rate category.
Internal Rate
- Current Imperial College students and staff (incl. Imperial NHS Trust, Imperial Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at Imperial College by third-party contractors)
- People enrolling under our Friends & Family scheme
- Alumni of Imperial College and predecessor colleges and institutes, including City & Guilds College Association members
- Students, staff and alumni of the Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and City, UAL and the City and Guilds of London Art School
- Students, staff and Governors of Woodhouse College and the IC Mathematics School
Associate Rate
- Austrian Cultural Forum staff
- Co-operative College members
- Francis Crick Institute staff, researchers and students
- Friends and Patrons of the English Chamber Orchestra
- Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
- Friends of Leighton House/ Sambourne House
- Friends of the Royal College of Music
- Harrods staff
- Historic Royal Palaces staff
- Lycee Charles de Gaulle staff
- Members of the Friends of Imperial College
- Members of the Kennel Club
- Members of the London Zoological Society
- Members of the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI)
- Members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
- National Health Service (NHS) employees
- Natural History Museum staff
- Residents of postcodes SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 and W8
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council staff
- Royal Geographical Society staff
- Science Museum staff
- Staff of Exhibition Road Cultural Group (Discover South Kensington) organisations
- Students (non-Imperial College)
- Teachers and other staff of UK schools
- Tutors and other staff of institution members of the Association of Colleges
- Tutors and other staff of other universities and higher education institutions
- Victoria and Albert Museum staff
Late enrolment
It is possible to enrol on many of our adult education courses after the course has already started. For non-language courses this is subject entirely to agreement by the tutor. For language courses it is subject to agreement by the language coordinator conducting level assessment. If you want to join a course late do bear in mind there might be work you will need to catch up on, particularly in language courses.
Friends and Family Scheme
This course is eligible for allowing Imperial College students and staff to share their discount with their friends and family.
Term Dates 2023-2024
| Weeks | Autumn term | Spring term | Summer term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Week commencing 16 October to week ending 16 December 2023 (9 weeks) | Week commencing 8 January to week ending 23 March 2024 (11 weeks) | n/a | |
| Term 1 and 2 are separated by the Christmas break | ||||
Enrolment Process
Web enrolment starts 1 August 2023. Early bird discounts are available from 1 August to 30 September 2023
Enrolment and payment run through the Imperial College eStore. When enrolling:
- Do check on the drop down menu above called "Course Fees and Rate Categories" to see if you are eligible for a discounted rate and also do make sure you select that rate when enrolling on the eStore
- If you are a first-time eStore user you will need to create an account before enrolling. You can do this by entering an email address and password. This account can then be used for any future enrolments via the eStore.
When you have enrolled you will be sent the following email notifications:
| What is sent | When is it sent | What does it contain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Payment confirmation | Is sent straight away following submission of your online application |
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| 2. Enrolment confirmation | Is usually sent within 10 working days. Please treat your payment confirmation as confirmation that your applicant details and payment have been received |
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| 3. Programme information | Is usually sent on Friday late afternoon the week before term starts |
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Any Questions?
If you have any questions about the academic content or teaching of this course please contact the Course Tutor, Dr Thomas Waters, at t.waters@imperial.ac.uk
If you have any questions about your enrolment or payment processes please contact the Programme Administrator, Christian Jacobi, eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk