This introductory course provides a comprehensive overview of Traditionalist thought, tracing its evolution from the work of René Guénon (1886-1951) to contemporary expressions. It elucidates the foundational principles of the philosophy and outlines its main projects.

Participants will be introduced to Guénon’s life journey including the various intellectual and spiritual streams that have shaped his worldview. The course examines his critique of modernity and his advocacy for the restoration of sacred order. Particular emphasis is placed on Guénon’s call for prioritising the spiritual over the material and his insistence on preserving the light of eternal truth in increasingly dark times. The sessions further explore the influence of his ideas on subsequent thinkers, investigating the intersections of Traditionalism with religion, politics, the arts and nature.

The primary course text is Guènon, R. (1927) The Crisis of the Modern World. Supplementary readings will include scholarly work in both Arabic and English. The course is designed for complete beginners and assumes no prior background in the history of ideas, philosophy, or religious studies.

This introductory course provides a comprehensive overview of Traditionalist thought, tracing its evolution from the work of René Guénon (1886-1951) to contemporary expressions. It elucidates the foundational principles of the philosophy and outlines its main projects.

Participants will be introduced to Guénon’s life journey including the various intellectual and spiritual streams that have shaped his worldview. The course examines his critique of modernity and his advocacy for the restoration of sacred order. Particular emphasis is placed on Guénon’s call for prioritising the spiritual over the material and his insistence on preserving the light of eternal truth in increasingly dark times. The sessions further explore the influence of his ideas on subsequent thinkers, investigating the intersections of Traditionalism with religion, politics, the arts and nature.

The primary course text is Guènon, R. (1927) The Crisis of the Modern World. Supplementary readings will include scholarly work in both Arabic and English. The course is designed for complete beginners and assumes no prior background in the history of ideas, philosophy, or religious studies.