Kocku von Stuckrad (born 6 April 1966) is a German scholar of religious studies. He specialises in the European history of religion and the academic study of Western esotericism.
Kocku von Stuckrad was born in Kpando, Ghana on 6 April 1966. He is a professor of religious studies at the University of Groningen.[1] His research has focused on the European history of religion, Western esotericism, the connections between religion, nature, and science, and on methodological and theoretical approaches to the study of religion.[2]
Stuckrad's approach to the academic study of Western esotericism focuses on claims of perfect or higher knowledge, rather than particular esoteric movements, and he has argued that secrecy should be regarded as one of the defining characteristics of the field.[3] He has criticised the academic field of Western esotericism for having failed to produce sufficient critical examination of its key concepts from historical, sociological, and cultural perspectives.[2] As an alternative, he argues for a discourse analysis approach to the history of Western esotericism.[4]
He has edited various volumes including The Brill Dictionary of Religion (2006). He has co-edited the Journal of Religion in Europe and several academic monograph series published by Brill Publishers and De Gruyter.[2]