Uuden etsijät. Salatieteiden ja okkultismin suomalainen kulttuurihistoria 1880–1930

Uuden etsijät. Salatieteiden ja okkultismin suomalainen kulttuurihistoria 1880–1930 edited by Maarit Leskelä-Kärki and Antti Harmainen

The multidisciplinary research project Seekers of the New: Esotericism and religious transformation in Finland during the era of modernisation, 1880-1940 has been funded by the Kone Foundation since 2018. This volume represents a conclusion for the project. The book, written in Finnish, is intended to shed light on the cultural history of esotericism in Finland, which has received little attention in the past. Each of the main chapters focuses on interesting individuals, many of which are writers, musicians, and artists, and delve into their experiences and ideas about occultism and occult sciences. The editors have chosen to use these terms rather than esotericism as they seem to be more in line with the discourses of the late 19^th and early 20^th century. One of the longer chapters tells about Olly and Uno Donner, who played a major role in founding the Donner Institute. The book also includes several shorter chapters, which open up the history of such phenomena as yoga and vegetarianism. The book offers an important source for both academics and a wider audience interested in the history of esotericism in Finland.