CHiMere
Research NETWORK on Cultural Histories of Magic
CHiMere — Cultural Histories of Magic is an informal forum for exploring magical beliefs and practices across time. The network is open to anyone interested, both within and beyond academia.
We approach “magic” in the broadest sense, through the lenses of cultural and social history from antiquity to the present. Our focus includes rituals; the history of emotions; class and social stratification; cognitive dimensions; materiality and embodiment; representations of the magical; and the many ways people have imagined and negotiated relationships with the otherworldly.
Our method is to probe universal historical dynamics while attending closely to specific places and periods, in order to grasp longue durée phenomena and bring trans-historical patterns into focus.
We work through hybrid seminars (on campus and online) and by promoting collective readings and collaborative research projects.
For talks and seminar activities, we aim to involve colleagues from universities across the Veneto—to help build a regional network of scholars working on related themes—as well as partners from national and international institutions, to broaden perspectives and connections. We also plan thematic seminar series and public-facing events.
Staff
Coordinators: Federico Barbierato – Irene Salvo
Federico Barbierato
Early Modern History
Bio
Federico Barbierato teaches Early Modern History (Historical Anthropology) and the History of the Republic of Venice at the University of Verona, and Early Modern History at the University of Lugano. His research focuses on religious dissent and repressive policies in the early modern period, with particular emphasis on magic, the circulation of banned books, and witchcraft.
Irene Salvo
Ancient History
Bio
Irene Salvo is Lecturer in Ancient Greek History at the University of Verona. Her area of expertise is the History of the Ancient Mediterranean, with a focus on religion, material culture, and cognitive psychology. Her research investigates pollution and purification, gender and queerness, minds and bodies in magic, health and healing rituals, emotion, embodied cognition, history of knowledge and education, neuropsychology.
Get Involved
We are an open group, both disciplinarily and chronologically. All scholars, whatever their discipline, can participate in our activities. Our main goal is to maintain a high scientific standard. So, if you would like to join us, please send us a message with your CV. If you would simply like to follow our activities, please subscribe to our newsletter.