# Gnoseologies and Dr. Giovanna Parmigiani August 03, 2023 The Center’s [Gnoseologies Series led by Dr. Giovanna Parmigiani](/transcendence-and-transformation-gnoseologies) has played a prominent role in the Transcendence and Transformation (T&T) Initiative at the Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR). Launched in September 2021, the T&T initiative affirms the existence of the sacred, different levels of reality, seen and unseen, and different modes of access to them. *[Director Charles Stang discusses the Transcendence and Transformation Initiative](https://youtu.be/qcITtIvSjrE).* As is fitting for the CSWR, this initiative has studied the traditions of transcendence and transformation in the so-called "world religions," but has also attended carefully to those traditions excluded by that framework, including indigenous religious traditions, and those that have been, for better or for worse, grouped under such categories as “animism,” “paganism,” and “shamanism” (to name only a few). **What is the place of spirit possession, divination, and experiences perceived as “out-of-the-ordinary” in our lives? How can we study and approach these types of phenomena?** These are the questions that Dr. Parmigiani engages with in discussions with her guests on the series. Dr. Parmigiani’s series focuses on ways of knowing that are often labeled as “non-rational.” Traditionally referred to as gnosis in Western philosophical and religious traditions, and often understood in contraposition to science (episteme), these ways of knowing are becoming more and more influential in contemporary societies, popular culture, and academic research. Going beyond dichotomies such as body and mind, ordinary and extraordinary, reason and experience, and matter and spirit, this series hosts scholars of different disciplines and practitioners interested in exploring and expanding the boundaries of what counts as “knowledge” today. The CSWR spoke with Dr. Parmigiani about Gnoseologies and the series. **CSWR:** What inspired you to initiate this series in the first place? **Parmigiani:** As an anthropologist, a committed instructor, and a scholar of magic, I often encounter people deeply interested in “non-rational” ways of knowing. They are sometimes personally invested with magical practices. Some other times, they are just genuinely curious about what we know and how can we know what we know. I thought about Gnoseologies with this public in mind. Since I believe that academic research should be accessible to (and understandable by) a wider public, I tried to think about a series and a format that could serve these purposes. **CSWR:** How do you choose the individuals with whom you engage in conversation for the series? **Parmigiani:** Mostly, the scholars I invite are the scholars I read for my research and in my courses, with my students. They do groundbreaking work, trying to explore and expand, as I wrote in the description of the Gnoseologies series, the boundaries of what counts as “knowledge” today. **CSWR:** This is your second year running the series. How was this year different from the previous year? **Parmigiani:** While, at first, my Gnoseologies conversations were mainly happening between me and my guests in front of an audience, gradually the audience started to be more and more involved and active, through the Q&A feature on Zoom. I like to include many questions from the audience and to steer the conversation in directions that respond to the curiosity of those who attend the live event. I really value this “choral” involvement. I like to think about the future of Gnoseologies as moving more and more in this direction: possibly gathering a community of “gnoseologists” with whom I engage during and beyond the Gnoseologies events. **CSWR:** What readings or conversations have stayed with you and why? What would you list as your greatest hits of the Gnoseologies series, so far? **Parmigiani:** I deeply and truly enjoyed every single one of my Gnoseologies conversations. I like connecting with people and knowing what they are passionate about. I am very happy, though, that we started this series with Dr. Susan Greenwood. Her work on magic as “participatory consciousness” is foundational for those interested in the study of magic and non-rational ways of knowing. **CSWR:** What can we expect to see in 2023-24? **Parmigiani:** We are currently finalizing our events calendar, but I plan to follow up on the requests I received from the Gnoseologies audience and to invite Dr. Susan Lepselter, again. I will ask her to perform the full version of her “video-poems,” which the Gnoseologies audience very much appreciated last year. I also want to invite other anthropologists and scholars who work on “non-rational” ways of knowing, scholars of contemporary Paganisms, and a famous YouTuber. I also plan to be, for once, the person interviewed and to share my own work! My book, [The Spider Dance](https://api.equinoxpub.com/books/2948), is coming out in the fall, and I would like to present it to the Gnoseologies audience. **CSWR:** What would you like to add about the series? **Parmigiani:** It has been an honor and pleasure being part of this series. I am really looking forward to the 2023-24 events. I thank the CSWR director, Professor Charles Stang, the T&T initiative, the audience, and the former and current CSWR administrative teams that made, and make, Gnoseologies possible! *Read more about Gnoseologies and access all the series' recorded videos on the [Gnoseologies page](/transcendence-and-transformation-gnoseologies) of the CSWR website.* See also:- [ Poetry, Philosophy, and Religion ](/programming-threads/poetry-philosophy-and-religion) - [ Center for the Study of World Religions ](/media-topic/center-study-world-religions) - [ CSWR ](/media-topic/cswr) - [ Spirituality ](/topic-tags/spirituality)