Destination: The Truth about Solomonic Magic with Dr Gal Sofer
About this episode
The episode features a discussion with Dr Gal Sofer about the intricate histories of Solomonic magic and the transmission of esoteric knowledge across cultures.
Join me for a livestream interview with Dr Gal Sofer on the complex histories of Solomonic magic, learned magical literature, and the transmission of esoteric knowledge across Jewish, Christian, and Arabic-speaking contexts. We will explore what it means to call a magical tradition Solomonic, how texts, images, and ritual technologies travelled across languages and cultures, and why the history of magic is far more intricate than simple questions of authenticity or invention. Dr Gal Sofer (MD, PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of the Arts at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. His research focuses on the history of science, magic, and Kabbalah from the late Middle Ages to the present, in both Jewish and Christian cultures and across multiple languages. His work examines the transfer of knowledge between languages in Europe, the visualisation of scientific and religious knowledge, and the visual aspects of learned magical literature. His first book, Solomonic Magic: Methodology, Texts, and Histories, was published by Brill in 2025. His second book, Conjuring the Arab Magician: Intercultural Histories of Magic, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2026. CONNECT…
People in this episode
Host: Dr Angela Puca
Guest: Dr Gal Sofer
Topics covered
- Solomonic magic
- esoteric knowledge
- magical literature
- Jewish culture
- Christian culture
- Arabic-speaking contexts
- history of magic
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Books & works: Solomonic Magic: Methodology, Texts, and Histories, Conjuring the Arab Magician: Intercultural Histories of Magic
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