Influence of magical conceptions on shaping of Croatian cultural identity

Vukelić, Deniver. (2018). Influence of magical conceptions on shaping of Croatian cultural identity. PhD Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Croatian Language and Literature.
(Poslijediplomski doktorski studij hrvatske kulture) [mentor Botica, Stipe and Marjanić, Suzana].

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Abstract

Starting thesis of this study, "Influence of magical conceptions on shaping of Croatian cultural identity" was that magic, magical conceptions and patterns are very important factors of influence on Croatian cultural identity. Until now, problems of magic were, from 19th Century to present day, studied only partially, through points of view of ethnographical records of folk beliefs and practices, historical analysis of legal document or linguistic analysis of verbal forms of magic or magical in literature. There wasn't integrated study like this which would, by interdisciplinary means and methods, combine these points of view in one place. Here it is done by systemizing definitions of magic systems, mediums and practitioners, with creation of a list with the most important European and Croatian researchers and progress of their ideas in their works about this topics, and with list of most important foreign and Croatian journals and publications in the last one hundred years which published or still publish primal sources and articles about magic practices. Furthermore, this study included three different perspectives on magical conceptions and patterns, through religion, literature and magic practices by itself, with analysis of European influences on Croatian culture and its own ideas of magic. This dissertation consists of Introduction, five larger chapters, Conclusion and Bibliography. In first chapter, Methodological and theoretical context, study deals with methodology and timeline of research, interdisciplinar approach, sources and literature which were used, theoretical background, especially those connected with defining terms of Croatian cultural identity and Magic per se. Magic herebye is defined from three points of view, those of religion, science and those of magic practitioners. In the chapter follows brief history of magical culture in European area and researched terms connected with magical culture, such as occultism and esoteria. In second chapter, Categorization and definitions of magical patterns and beliefs, study deals with major divisions and categorizations of magical practices. From introductive part where were analyzed some other categorization possibilities, such of those of Mauss, Čulinović-Konstantinović or Lazar, to the main topic, categorization of all magical conceptions and patterns in three major parts: magical systems, magical mediums and magical persons. Each of parts is divided in lesser divisions and categorizations with the goal of getting analytical tool for recognition, classification and definition of magical conceptions, patterns, beliefs and phenomena in the systems according to its different goals and fields of human culture and work, of course, mostly with examples from Croatian history and culture. Third chapter, Religious view upon magic, follows the story of interaction between religion and magic from theoretical introduction, through concepts of Old Faith in Croatian historical premises and it's view on magic, Judeo-Christian thoughts, ancient and medieval about magic, developement of medieval religion and legal views against magic, witchtrials in Medieval and Early modern period, to modern Christian view on the subject of magic in Croatia, as also early modern and modern Muslim views on the same subject. Fourth chapter, Magical conceptions, patterns and practices in Croatian historical space, deals in the timeline of dozen phenomena connected with magical practices in Croatian history, from medieval Croatian alchemists, freemasonery, syncretic secret societies, theosophy, antrophosophy, to 20th Century's New Faiths, New Age movements, Satanism, Wicca, Native Faith, Neopaganisms, Neoshamanisms, Neoanimisms and Magic in mass media culture. All these phenomena are shown in interaction with European and World movements in similar concepts and their influence on everyday culture. Fifth chapter, Literal and linguistical view on magic – magic as literature and magic in literature, studies oral patterns of verbal magical practice, charms, spells and curses with their examples. Then it deals with subject of magical practices and concepts in older Croatian literature, that of Renaissance and Baroque, and finally in the modern literature of 20th Century in the examples in the works of Marija Jurić Zagorka and Ivana Brlić Mažuranić. Conclusion of this study confirms initial thesis of research that magic, magical conceptions and patterns are very important factors of influence on Croatian cultural identity; that space and its characteristics in time defines dependance of influences of different political and religous flows which shape cultural conscience among Croatian people; that Croatian cultural identity in the point of magical conceptions shifts accordingly to main and mainstream religious and magical cultural currents; that Old Faith and Prechristian magical beliefs are still important factors in Croatian cultural conscience and still persist to this day; and last, that New Faiths, like Postchristian and Nonchristian magical concepts of 20th and 21st Century had spread and intertweened with Christian cultural circle among Croatian and other inhabitants on Croatian historical premises and that they still influence on everyday life, and perception of spiritual.

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