Noel Putnik
Academic title: PhD
Research position: Research Associate
Fields of interest: anthropology of ancient Greek and Roman culture, medieval and Renaissance studies, anthropology of religion, studies of esotericism and alternative religions, intellectual history.
Email: noel.putnik@ei.sanu.ac.rs
Education / Qualifications
- 2021 Acquired the position of Research Associate at the Institute of Ethnography of SASA
- 2018 Completed doctoral studies in Medieval Studies at Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
- 2007 Completed master studies in Medieval Studies at Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
- 2004 Graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, with a degree in Classics
Аffiliations
- 2021 The Institute of Ethnography of SASA
- 2007/2022 Philological High School, Belgrade
Conferences
- 2025. Religion and Rebellion (Fourteenth Annual REFORC Conference on Early Modern Christianity), Central European University, Vienna, Austria;
- 2024. Аva Justin: zalog predanja, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade;
- 2024. Continuities and Ruptures: Esotericism and Science in Central and Eastern Europe from the Middle Ages to the Present, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland;
- 2024. Јezik u religiji / Religija u jeziku, Institute for the Serbian Language, Belgrade;
- 2024. Science, Faith & Superstition, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade; University Library “Svetozar Marković”, Belgrade;
- 2023. Western Esotericism and Practice (the 9th Biennial Conference of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism), Malmö universitet, Malmö, Sweden;
- 2023. Savremena srpska folkloristika XIII, The Association of Serbian Folklorists, Belgrade / University Library “Svetozar Marković”, Belgrade / Center for Culture “Vuk Karadžić”, Loznica / Research, Education and Culture Center “Vuk Karadžić”, Tršić;
- 2023. Theatrum mundi (the 6th Annual Conference of Eastern and Western Traditions of European Iconology), Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Bölcsészet- és Társadalomtudományi Kar, Szeged, Hungary;
- 2023. Recepcija starih svetova, Institute of Ethnography SASA, Belgrade;
- 2023. Аntropologija književnosti, umetnosti i medija, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade;
- 2018. Esotericism-inspired Artistic Visions in Central and Eastern Europe, Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Bölcsészet- és Társadalomtudományi Kar, Szeged, Hungary;
- 2016. Esotericism, Literature and Culture in Central and Eastern Europe, Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade;
- 2014. Western Esotericism in East-Central Europe over the Centuries, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary;
- 2013. Western Esotericism and Health, Humanistiska fakulteten, Göteborgs universitet, Gotenburg, Sweden;
- 2011. Science and Magic: Ways of Knowing in the Early Modern World, Princeton University, Princeton, USA;
- 2011. Lux in Tenebris: The Visual and the Symbolic in Western Esotericism, Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Bölcsészet- és Társadalomtudományi Kar, Szeged, Hungary;
- 2011. Obscuritаs in the Middle Ages, Fakulta sociálních věd, Univerzita Karlova, Prague, The Czech Republic;
- 2010. Spiritualism, Esotericism, Early Modern Culture, Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Bölcsészet- és Társadalomtudományi Kar, Szeged, Hungary;
- 2010. Messianism – Jewish and Christian Perspectives, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary;
Stipends, awards and certificates
- 2011 Statement of Proficiency in Medieval Latin – Level Two, Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto;
- 2009/2014 Doctoral studies stipend, Central European University, Budapest;
- 2007 CEU Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for the academic 2006/2007 year;
- 2006/2007 Master studies stipend, Central European University, Budapest;
- 1999/2000 Stipend of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Serbia;
- 1998/1999 The Young Talents Stipend of the “Madlena Janković” Foundation, Belgrade, Serbia.
Select Bibliography
Monographs and monographic studies
- The Pious Impiety of Agrippa's Magic: Two Conflicting Notions of Ascension in the Works of Cornelius Agrippa. Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag, 2010. ISBN: 978-3-639-24046-7
- Između Hermesa i Hrista. Srednji put Kornelija Agripe [Between Hermes and Christ. The Middle Way of Cornelius Agrippa]. Belgrade: Službeni glasnik, 2019. ISBN: 978-86-519-2448-7
- „Plutarhova religijska filozofija“. In: Plutarh, O Sokratovom demonu / O sujeverju [“Plutarch’s Religious Philosophy”. In: Plutarch, On Socrates’ Daimonion / On Superstition], tr. Noel Putnik. Belgrade: Srpska književna zadruga, 2021, VII–LXVI. ISBN: 987-86-379-1455-6
Chapters in edited volumes
- „Grčki jezik u Ciceronovim pismima Atiku“. In: Marko Tulije Ciceron, Pisma Atiku I [“The Greek Language in Cicero’s Letters to Atticus”. In: Marcus Tullius Cicero, Letters to Atticus I], tr. Jelena Savić, Milica Kisić, Noel Putnik. Belgrade: Fedon, 2009, 33–59. ISBN: 978-86-86525-13-0
- “To Be Born (Again) from God: Scriptural Obscurity as a Doctrinal Way Out for Cornelius Agrippa”. In: Obscurity in Medieval Texts. Ed. Lucie Doležalová, Jeff Rider, Alessandro Zironi. Krems: Medium Aevum Quotidianum, Sonderband 30, 2013, 153–163. ISBN: 978-3-901094-32-6
- “Agrippa’s Cosmic Ladder: Building a World with Words in the De Occulta Philosophia”. In: Lux in tenebris: the Visual and the Symbolic in Western Esotericism. Ed. Peter J. Forshaw. Leiden: Brill, 2016, 81–102. ISBN: 978-90-04-33494-6, ISSN: 1871-1405, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789-004334953_006
- “Dr. Wolf and the Ancient Roots: Neoshamanism in Serbia”. In: Studies on Western Esotericism in Central and Eastern Europe. Ed. Nemanja Radulović, Karolina Maria Hess. Szeged: JATEP Press, 2019, 191–210. ISBN: 978-963-315-397-0
- “Operari per fidem: the Role of Faith in Agrippan Magic”. In: Civilizations of the Supernatural. Witchcraft, Ritual, and Religious Experience in Late Antique, Medieval, and Renaissance Traditions. Ed. Fabrizio Conti. Budapest: Trivent Publishing, 2020, 287–312. ISBN: 978-615-81689-1-5
- “Agrippa’s Magical Piety and the Insufficiency of the Revelation”. In: Fidele Signaculum. Writings in Honour of György Endre Szőnyi. Ed. Atilla Kiss, Ágnes Matuska, Róbert Péter. Szeged: University of Szeged, 2022, 849–866. ISBN: 978-963-306-918-9
- „Komparativni osvrt na terminologiju govora i pripovedanja u ranoj grčkoj epici“. In: Savremena srpska folkloristika XIII. [“A Comparative Review of the Terminology of Speech and Narration in Early Greek Epic”. In: Contemporary Serbian Folkloristics XIII.] Ed. Danijela Popović Nikolić and Nemanja Radulović. Belgrade/Loznica/Tršić: The Association of Serbian Folklorists, Belgrade / University Library „Svetozar Marković“, Belgrade / Center for Culture „Vuk Karadžić“, Loznica / Research, Education and Culture Center „Vuk Karadžić“, Tršić, 2024, 48–58. ISBN: 987-86-7301-210-0
- „Metafora o otkupu iz ropstva u tumačenju Prepodobnog oca Justina“. In: Ava Justin: zalog predanja [“The Metaphor of Redemption from Slavery in the Interpretation of the Saint Father Justin.” In: Abba Justin: A Pledge of Tradition. Ed. Vladimir Vukašinović. Belgrade: Faculty of Orthodox Theology, 2025, 133–145. https://doi.org/10.18485/pbf_avajustin130.2025.ch15; ISBN: 978-86-7405-291-4 (co-authored with Milosav Vešović)
Published papers
- „Plutarh i Seneka: dva pristupa tešenju ožalošćenih“ [“Plutach and Seneca: Two Approaches to Consoling the Bereaved”]. Lucida intervalla, A Journal of Classical Studies 30 (2004): 5–15
- „Pseudo-Ksenofontov Ustav atinski i problemi njegove interpretacije“ [“Pseudo-Xenophon’s Athenian Constitution and the Problems of Its Interpretation”]. Lucida intervalla, A Journal of Classical Studies 32 (2006): 24–43. ISSN: 1450-6645
- „Uvod u Aristejevo pismo Filokratu“ [“An Introduciton to Aristeas’ Letter to Philocrates”]. Theology. Journal of the Faculty of Orthodox Church, University of Belgrade LXVIII 2 (2008): 5–13 (co-authored with Milosav Vešović)
- “Two Apparently Conflicting Notions of Ascension in the Works of Agrippa von Nettesheim”. Annual of Medieval Studies at CEU 14 (2008): 121–136. ISSN: 1219-0616
- “Pagan and Christian Consolation”. ΦΙΛΟΘΕΟΣ, International Journal for Philosophy and Theology 9 (2009): 90–98 (co-authored with Milosav Vešović). ISSN: 1451–3455
- „Plato Ficinianus: jedan renesansni primer recepcionističke kritike“ [“Plato Ficinianus: a Renaissance Example of Reader Response Criticism”]. Lucida intervalla, A Journal of Classical Studies 43 (2014): 165-194. ISSN: 1450-6645, UDK: 821.14'02-96.03=124'04; 141.131(450)''14''
- “Undressing the ‘True Man’: A Philological Look at Cornelius Agrippa’s Anthropology”. Literary History. Journal of Literary Studies 52, No. 172 (2021): 69–86. ISSN: 0350-6428. UDC: 82
- “Recent Academic Research on Esotericism in the Balkans”. ARIES – Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism 23 (2023): 23–38. ISSN: 1567-9896. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/15700593-02301002
- „Antropološke implikacije Plutarhovih eshatoloških mitova“ [“Anthropological Implications of Plutarch’s Eschatological Myths”]. Bulletin of the Institute of Ethnography SASA LXXI/1 (2023): 77–98. ISSN: 0350-0861. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/GEI2301077P
- „Sučeljena shvatanja telesnosti u antici“ [“Contrasting Conceptions of the Body in Antiquity”]. Theology. Journal of the Faculty of Orthodox Church, University of Belgrade 81/1 2 (2023): 49–63 (co-authored with Milosav Vešović). DOI: https://doi.org/10.18485/bogoslovlje.2023.82.1.4. ISSN: 0006-5714. UDC: 27-1:271.222(497.11)
- “The State, the Church, and the Demarcations of the Occult in Serbia”. The Polish Journal of the Arts and Culture. New Series (Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie) 17/1 (2023): 159–176. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4467/24506249PJ.23.010.19003. e-ISSN 2450-6249
- “Deamones boni et mali: The Locus of Evil in Renaissance Hermetic Neoplatonism”. Review of Ecumenical Studies (Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu / University of Eastern Finland) 16/1 (2024): 53–70. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ress-2024-0005. ISSN: 2359-8093
- „Od crnog maga do protofeministe: recepcija opusa Kornelija Agripe kroz vekove“ [“From Black Magician to Proto-Feminist: The Reception of Cornelius Agrippa’s Ouevre Through the Centuries”]. Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology. New Series 19/2 (2024): 401–425. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21301/eap.v19i2.4. ISSN: 0353-1589
- „Grčki šamani, skitski psihonauti i duh Eranosa“ [Greek Shamans, Scythian Psychonauts and the Spirit of Eranos”]. Bulletin of the Institute of Ethnography SASA LXXII/3 (2024): 91–117. ISSN: 0350-0861. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/GEI2403091P
- „Od Naselja sunca do Kuršumlije: deegzotizacija i distopijski lokalpatriotizam u srpskoj naučnoj fantastici“ [“From the Sun City to Kuršumlija: De-exotization and Dystopian Local Patriotism in Serbian Science Fiction”]. Studia ethnologica Croatica 36 (2024): 153–170. ISSN: 1330-3627. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17234/SEC.36.8
- „Elementi magijskog u Šestom pevanju Eneide” [“Magical Elements in the Sixth Book of the Aeneid”]. Koraci. Journal of Literature, Art, and Culture LIX, 10–12 (2025). Thematic Issue: Esotericism and Literature, ed. Nemanja Radulović: 86–100; UDK: 82-05; ISSN: 0454-3556