Historian of ideas Rune Engelbreth Larsen presents a modern and nuanced perspective on animistic worldviews and shamanistic practice throughout history and into the present day.
New archaeological findings demonstrate that shamans have been central to human history from the Stone Age through the Viking period and into contemporary times—including in Denmark and our surrounding regions. In these cultures, the world was alive and full of spirits in both nature and the home. However, animism was not limited to so-called primitive cultures: the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Vikings shared the same worldview. Throughout history and across the globe, countless societies have maintained animistic relationships with their surroundings.
Interestingly, this worldview continues today among millions of people in South America, Africa, and Asia, while shamanism simultaneously experiences a marked resurgence in the West. The speaker presents how what was previously dismissed as naive beliefs is now viewed quite differently by anthropologists and historians of religion.
About the speaker:
Rune Engelbreth Larsen (born 1967) is a historian of ideas and former member of the Danish Ethics Council (2017-2022). He is the author of 22 books, including Animism from Rock Art to Climate Crisis (2025).
Admission: 200 kr
