Sufi Pioneers in Europe
Sufism in Europe July 31, 2024 DOI: 10.3366/edinburgh/9781399536097.003.0003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
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| Key points | The chapter argues that Sufism's presence in contemporary France and Italy was shaped by four distinct groups of "pioneers": North African migrants (Algerians in the 1950s-1970s, Moroccans in the 1990s), European esotericists seeking a living esoteric tradition, "New-Agers" who constructed their own discourse on Sufism, and religionist scholars connected to the Eranos circle, such as Jung, Corbin and Massignon, who pursued universal religious archetypes. |
Abstract
This chapter examines the “pioneers” of Sufism in contemporary France and Italy, such as the migrants coming from Algeria between the 1950s and the 1970s to France, and from Morocco in the 1990s to both France and Italy. The second “pioneers” of Sufism in Europe have been European esotericists, who were looking for a living esoteric tradition and found one in Sufism. The third “pioneers” are the “New-Agers”, who imagined and constructed another discourse on Sufism. The fourth “pioneers” are religionist scholars, in particular intellectuals connected to the Eranos circle, where intellectuals such as Carl Gustav Jung, Henry Corbin and Louis Massignon, discussed mysticism, esotericism, psychoanalysis, looking for universal religious archetypes across religions.