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Peter Forshaw studied Sanskrit, Tibetan and Indian Philosophy at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (1982-86). After years spent working in France, India, Thailand, and Japan, he returned to the UK to take an MA in Renaissance Studies at Birkbeck, University of London, where he subsequently researched his doctorate in Early Modern Intellectual History, on the complex hieroglyphic and theosophical figures and the interplay of alchemy, magic and cabala in the Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae (1595/1609) of Heinrich Khunrath of Leipzig (1560-1605), 'doctor of both medicines and faithful lover of Theosophy'.
On the successful completion of his PhD, Peter was then awarded a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship for research into the History of Ritual Magic in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This period of research was then followed by fellowships at the universities of Strathclyde and Cambridge, where he worked on projects related to early modern alchemy and astrology.
In 2009 Peter was appointed Assistant Professor for History of Western Esotericism in the Early Modern Period at the Center for History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents, University of Amsterdam.
Peter is also Honorary Fellow at the University of Exeter, where he contributes to the MA in Western Esotericism at EXESESO: The Exeter Centre for the Study of Esotericism and Honorary Research Fellow at the School of English and Humanities, Birkbeck, University of London.
From 2004-2011 Peter was elected council member and webmaster of the SRS (Society for Renaissance Studies). He has been performing the same function for SHAC (Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry) since 2007, and for ESSWE (European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism) since 2009.
Centre for the History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents, University of Amsterdam
Exeter Centre for the Study of Esotericism (EXESESO)
ESSWE: European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism
SHAC: Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry
Society for Renaissance Studies
My webpage at Academia.edu
Editorial Activities
Editor in Chief of Aries: Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism.
Peter is member of the editorial board of Ambix, Journal for the Society of the History of Alchemy and Chemistry and História Revista
Aries: Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism
Ambix: Journal of the Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry
História Revista
Links
Below (in no particular order) are links to various organisations, libraries, archives, and journals that I have found useful for my own research. I hope that they may be inspiring for you too.
Chemical Heritage Foundation
Centro de Estudios sobre el Esoterismo Occidental / UNASUR
INASWE: Israeli Net-Work for the Academic Study of Western Esotericism
ISNS: International Society for Neoplatonic Studies
ISPS: International Society for Paracelsus Studies
Renaissance Society of America
SHAC: Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry
Societas Magica
Société Marsile Ficin
SRS: Society for Renaissance Studies
The Alchemy Website
Bibliotheca astrologica latina
Bibliotheca Bruniana Electronica. The Complete Works of Giordano Bruno
Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica (Ritman Library)
Alchemy, Magic and Kabbalah (Foundation of the Works of C.G.Jung)
Digital International Astrological Library (DIAL)
James Young Collection of Alchemical Books and Manuscripts, Strathclyde
John Ferguson Collection, Glasgow (alchemy, magic, witchcraft, etc)
La Bibliotheca Mágica, Madrid
Warburg Institute, London
Archives of Western Esoterica
Azogue: Revista electrónica dedicada al estudio histórico crítico de la alquimia
Cahiers de Recherches Medievales et Humanistes
Chrysopoeia: Revue publiée par la Société d'Étude de l'Histoire de l'Alchimie
Persée: Portail de revues scientifiques en sciences humaines
The 9th House: Recent AcademicResearch on Astrology
The Chymistry of Isaac Newton
The Study of Christian Cabala in English (bibliography)
Magic, Ritual and Witchcraft
Culture and Cosmos
Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes
Médiévales
Kabbalah: Journal for the Study of Jewish Mystical Texts
Early Science and Medicine