About this episode

The episode discusses the intersection of magic, digital media, and contemporary American culture with guest Heather J. Freeman.

What happens when magic moves through podcasts, digital media, and contemporary American culture? In this livestream, I’ll be joined by Heather Freeman, artist, scholar, and creator of Magic in the United States, the award-winning PRX podcast that explores the histories, practices, and cultural tensions surrounding magic, spirituality, and esotericism in the United States. Freeman is also a Professor of Digital Media at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where her work brings together art, technology, mythology, and occult themes. Together, we’ll discuss how magic is represented and reimagined in the modern world, how digital technologies are reshaping occult practice, and why the study of magic can reveal so much about religion, identity, media, and power in contemporary society. We’ll also explore the thinking behind Magic in the United States, a three-season series funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and UNC Charlotte, which examines American magical, spiritual, esoteric, and marginalised religious traditions through both historical and contemporary lenses. This conversation will be especially relevant for anyone interested in Western esotericism…

People in this episode

Host: Dr Angela Puca

Guest: Heather J. Freeman

Topics covered

• magic
• digital media
• American culture
• spirituality
• esotericism
• witchcraft
• occult

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, National Endowment for the Humanities

Books & works: Magic in the United States

More episodes of ANGELA'S SYMPOSIUM 📖 Academic Study on Witchcraft, Paganism, esotericism, magick and the Occult

• Destination: The Truth about Solomonic Magic with Dr Gal Sofer · May 6, 2026 · 1h 26m
• Alchemy Explained: Science, Spirituality, and the Search for Transformation · April 19, 2026 · 47 min
• This Changes Solomonic Magic Forever · April 5, 2026 · 28 min
• Your Tradition is Fake. Now What? · March 29, 2026 · 19 min
• Esotericism in Western Culture with Prof Wouter Hanegraaff · March 23, 2026 · 1h 33m
• What Is a Cult？ How High-Control Religious Groups Manipulate Belief · March 15, 2026 · 26 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the ANGELA'S SYMPOSIUM 📖 Academic Study on Witchcraft, Paganism, esotericism, magick and the Occult podcast page.