Genealogies of the New Age in Mexico

Authors

  • Renée de la Torre Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social
  • Cristina Gutiérrez Zúñiga Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, México

Keywords:

New Age, Mexico, esoteric schools, exoterization, neo-Mexican movement.

Abstract

Abstract:

The beginnings of the New Age movement in Mexico are identified in the literature as a result of the contact with the hippie culture coming from the USA.  The authors propose the construction of a genealogy of the movement focusing on actors and vectors of diverse origin who, from the establishment of esoteric schools in the country in the beginnings of the XX century onwards, transformed the imaginary of Mexico as site of an ancient civilization that keeps in its prehispanic vestiges hermetic traditions of key importance in the New Age coming. Attention is given to the hybridization of these doctrines with the national cultural matrix promoted by the state, with strong influence on both artistic and political movements, which results in the creation of a Mexicanized version of the New Age,  that nowadays is projected in the global spiritual network; the mediation of the cultural industries such as the paperback literature and the TV in the popularization of certain notions  conceived of as part of the New Age movement are also analyzed. 

Author Biographies

Renée de la Torre, Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social

Doctora en Antropología Social, Profesora-investigadora del Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social (CIESAS) de Occidente, en Guadalajara, México, SNI III y miembro de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias. Especialista en el estudio del cambio religioso contemporáneo en México

Cristina Gutiérrez Zúñiga, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, México

Doctora en Ciencias Sociales, Profesora-investigadora en El Colegio de Jalisco y en la Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, México. Su trabajo se centra en la pluralización religiosa de México, en los nuevos movimientos religiosos y espirituales y en la transnacionalización de la danza azteca

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Published

2016-08-31

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2 (2016): Nova Era: aportes teóricos e situacionais

Section

Seção Temática

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