Defining magic

Defining Magic was published by Equinox Publishing in 2012 as part of the Studies in Contemporary Phenomenology series. Edited by Bernd-Christian Otto and Michael Stausberg, this academic collection emerged from a growing scholarly interest in the categorization of magic within religious studies and anthropology. The volume serves as a critical survey, bringing together multidisciplinary perspectives to address the historical, sociological, and cognitive challenges inherent in defining a term that has long been contested in Western intellectual thought.

The book functions primarily as an analytical anthology, featuring contributions from established scholars who examine how the concept of magic has been constructed by academics and practitioners across diverse cultural contexts. By avoiding a singular definition, the work encourages a reflexive approach to the study of religion and the occult. It has been well-received within academic circles for its rigorous methodology and its commitment to deconstructing the binary distinctions between religion, science, and magic that have persisted in academic literature since the 19th century.