Secret Societies Research Articles

They’re Watching You by Chelsea Ichaso

Reviewed by: They’re Watching You by Chelsea Ichaso Natalie Berglind Ichaso, Chelsea They’re Watching You. Sourcebooks, 2023 [384p] Paper ed. ISBN 9781728251066 $10.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781728251073 $9.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad Gr. 8-10 At Torrey-Wells Academy, Maren’s best friend Polly St. James went missing two weeks ago, leaving behind only a note saying she was running away. Maren knows something else is afoot, and she interrogates her peers about a rumored secret society after finding an invitation sent to Polly by someone called the Gamemaster. It’s not long before Maren joins the next round of initiation and engages in a series of sadistic life-or-death games to move up in the Gamemaster Society’s ranks and figure out why Polly went missing—and how Maren can save her. The premise of boarding school secret society with ties to ancient history is familiar thriller territory, but Ichaso pulls on unique details that may send interested readers down research rabbit holes. Unfortunately, the love triangle between Maren, quirky pyromaniac Gavin, and hot football player Remington is hit-or-miss at times; for all of Maren’s quick-wittedness when solving mind games, she’s easily fooled by the boys as she brushes off red flags. Readers are asked to suspend quite a lot of disbelief when it comes to certain elements, but those who can do so are in for a thrilling time as Maren delves into a world of betrayals and blackmail and plays risky games against the clock. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Carnival and the Theme of Migration

Carnival and the Theme of Migration

The Society of San Guiñolé: Pederasty and Prostitution in La chula by Francisco de Sales Mayo

Male prostitution figures as a topic of anxiety and consternation throughout European cities in the second half of the nineteenth century. In Spain, medico-legal specialists, social commentators, and fiction writers evinced this preoccupation mostly in their written works. The author Francisco de Sales Mayo includes a secret society of pederasts in the plot of his novel La chula, which is ostensibly about female sex work and its regulation in 1850s–60s Madrid. Building on previous scholarship on Sales Mayo, this study is the first that foregrounds male homosexuality in La chula due to its fundamental role in understanding the novel. It interrogates the work’s construction of the trope of the Society of San Guiñolé, a secret organization rife with sexual inverts, as a critique of proponents of the regulation of sex work. Relying on recent scholarship regarding female prostitution, masculinities, and male homosexuality, the study argues that the author associates San Guiñolé’s secretive sexual practices with Spain’s political and religious (ultra)conservatives in order to show what he believes is their deviant mission to allow sex work to flourish in Madrid, corrupt the bourgeois male model of heteronormativity, and prevent a secular, republican government from taking power.

New Masks, New Meanings: Covid Perspectives on African Art History: Part 1: Behind The Mask: African Art History in a Pandemic Era

New Masks, New Meanings: Covid Perspectives on African Art History: Part 1: Behind The Mask: African Art History in a Pandemic Era

The Greek Revolution, 1821 and the Making of Modern Europe, by Mark Mazower

Anglophone readers have the good fortune of turning to the work of David Brewer and Roderick Beaton for learned histories of Greece’s rocky path to independence (the first nation-state to emerge after 1815). Mark Mazower is an eminent historian of Europe’s dark twentieth century and Greece’s troubled past. He is a household name among undergraduates across the world who devour his books. It must have been something of a gamble for him to stray outside familiar territory and enter post-Napoleonic Europe. The result is not merely felicitous but a page-turning tour de force. Few could hope to rival Mazower’s command of the languages needed to understand the Greek revolution … and what a revolution it was! Most revolutions have begun in urban centres and were led by intellectuals, lawyers and army officers in a bid to replace arbitrary rule with constitutional government. Greece’s casting-off of the Ottoman yoke could not have been more different. This revolution is best described as amphibious. The Aegean was to be a vital conduit for the spread of ideas, funds, supplies and weapons. It all started with a secret society (akin to the carbonari) known as filiki eteria (friendly society). Its adherents were Greek merchants whose networks stretched from the Black Sea to the Aegean and Adriatic. Their mission was not merely to instil ethnic solidarity among their diaspora; they also wanted to raise an armed rebellion against the Sultan. This was planned to take place not just in Greece, but was supposed to destroy the Ottoman navy in dock in Istanbul, at the very heart of the Empire (this plan was a dismal failure in the end). To the north, Prince Alexandros Ypsilantis ignited a shambolic rebellion in the Danubian principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia. This was quickly suppressed, and the Sultan then turned his attention to his quarrelsome governor of Albania, Ali Pasha, the Lion of Janina. With his troops deployed in besieging Ali’s stronghold in southern Albania, the Greeks of the Morea rose in rebellion under false promises from the eteria that Russia would intervene militarily.

The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew

Reviewed by: The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew Amanda Toledo Andrew, Kelly The Whispering Dark. Scholastic, 2022 [400p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781338809473 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781338809497 $12.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 8-12 Delaney Meyers-Petrov has secured a place at the legendary Godbole School, and she’s ready to shake the image that has overshadowed her since she lost her hearing at a young age: “Tragic Delaney, who’d fallen too sick too young . . . Fragile Delaney, who needed constant coddling. But capable Delaney—that was something new.” The promise of paranormal magic at Godbole appears to be true: Delaney’s roommate practices scrying, another friend knows the future, and teacher’s assistant Colton Price can rip open doors to another world. Still, Delaney struggles with the few accommodations provided for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, and she seems to have made an enemy of Colton, whose help she dearly needs to pass her classes. When Delaney begins to connect the recent disappearances of some Godbole [End Page 79] students to a secret society Colton belongs to, the two must work together to stop the evil at the college’s heart. Delaney and Colton’s push-and-pull relationship is the driving force of this deliciously dark paranormal romance, and Andrew’s debut has all the angst and atmosphere that will keep lovers of this genre eagerly turning the pages. The mystery aspect is not quite up to par with the romance, with opaque hints and sudden scene skips, but this still makes a strong recommendation for those looking for more dark academia like Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House, or more teen angst like Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Taming Violence: The Shanghai Green Gang and its Self-Legitimation Claims in the Early Twentieth Century

AbstractFrom the end of the nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, gangs and secret societies (banghui) exercised enormous influence on Chinese society and politics. The two portrayals ofbanghuiin historiography – as modern criminal syndicates that came out of an emerging capitalist economy or, alternatively, a cultural succession of traditional secret society – are so distinct that their proponents often speak past each other. Revisiting primary and secondary materials on the Shanghai Green Gang, one of the most activebanghuiorganizations during the Republican era (1911–49), this article aims to bridge the two understandings by focusing on the gang’s self-legitimation claims. Facing rapid social changes of the early twentieth century, I argue, the Green Gang reframed its use of violence as disciplinary, revolutionary, and nationalistic to gain public legitimation. Together with its involvement in state building and resource extraction, the gang’s cultural work contributed to its prominence and led multiple political authorities to promote it to an exceptional degree.

Men in aprons versus men in suits: Reshaping masculinities within a Japanese nonprofit promoting fatherhood

One of the most influential nonprofit organizations in Japan’s contemporary parenting movement, Fathering Japan has a mission to “increase the number of smiling fathers” and to eliminate obstacles that prevent fathers from participating in family life, which the nonprofit promotes as an enjoyable and fulfilling sphere of activity. Fathering Japan encourages fathers of young children to break with the practices of previous generations of Japanese fathers—who generally eschewed domestic labor—by practicing masculinities that engage actively in child care in ways that lessen women’s workloads and help to raise Japan’s low birthrate. Yet many of the nonprofit’s projects cater to the needs of suit-wearing men pursuing Japan’s traditional heteronormative lifestyles. In contrast, within Fathering Japan, members of the subgroup called the Secret Society, “The Househusband’s Friend,” don aprons and engage in play and parody that both problematize and reaffirm the links among masculinity, work, and family.

Folk media: Existence, forms, uses and challenges in Mende indigenous communities of Southern Sierra Leone

The study examined the folk media: existence, forms, uses and challenges in the Mende indigenous communities of Southern Sierra Leone. A mixed methods research design of 120 participants was developed, selected from 3 communities with 40 participants in each community. The mixed approach used both quantitative and qualitative research designs in the study. The interviews were initially conducted using interview questions related to the existence of folk media, its use and the challenges it faced in the study area. Three focus group discussions were held in 3 communities, randomly selected on the outskirts of the Southern part of Sierra Leone. A quantitative research approach helped analyse simple statistical data collected by the researchers. The findings revealed that folk media exist in the Mende communities studied; and that the use of Mende folk media is fraught with major challenges. The findings also revealed that the use of Mende folk media is rare in indigenous Mende communities which is a major challenge in preserving the practices and their uses in the selected communities. The findings also showed that Mende folk media play an important role in disseminating social, religious, and cultural information, including being used in ceremonies such, as litigation, court hearings, singing and storytelling sessions, naming, weddings and political campaigns, and funerals. The findings also revealed that traditional Mende media are mainly used by the nominees of Paramount Chiefs, the community griots, the heads of the tribal and secret societies and volunteers.

An Interpretative View of the Origin of the Early Chinese Revolution from the Perspective of Secret Societies: Retrospect and Reflections from the History of Social Thought, Part II

Abstract The development of the Chinese revolutionary movement in the early twentieth century absorbed cultural resources from traditional secret societies and associations. The White Lotus, the Tiandihui, the Gelaohui, the Triad, and the various secret societies that had emerged in the Taiping and the Boxer rebellions were all incorporated into the discourse system of revolutionary history. The secret societies’ slogans of “overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming” and “rob the rich to help the poor” merged with the revolutionaries’ platform of “drive out the Manchus” and “relief for people’s livelihood,” and finally advanced the success of the Xinhai Revolution and was turned into a coherent historical narrative. After the founding of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen and Song Jiaoren carefully assessed the function of secret societies and distinguished them from modern political parties. On the other hand, leaders of the Communist Party, such as Mao Zedong, Qu Qiubai, Yun Daiying, and Chen Duxiu, emphasized the ideological transformation of secret societies and the suitable role they could play in the revolution, thus showing a dynamic strategy of allying with these organizations. The history of the relationship between the Chinese revolution and secret societies reflects the changing characteristics and logic of the underclass of Chinese society.

Türkiye’de Cumhuriyet Dönemi Tarih Ders Kitaplarında Değişim ve Sürekliliğin İzini Sürmek: İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti Örneği

Genel kabul gören yaklaşıma göre 1889 yılında İstanbul’da bir grup Askeri Tıbbiye Mektebi öğrencisi tarafından gizli bir cemiyet olarak kurulan İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti Osmanlı Devleti’nin son on yılında gelişen olaylara damgasını vurmuştur. Cemiyet, ayrıca Millî Mücadele’nin örgütlenmesinde rol oynadığı gibi Cumhuriyet Dönemi’nde kısa bir süre de olsa iç siyasetin önemli bir figürü olmuştur. Türkiye’de Cumhuriyet Dönemi’nde liselerde okutulan tarih ders kitaplarında İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti ve ittihatçılara yaklaşımda meydana gelen değişimi ortaya koymayı amaçlayan tarama modelindeki bu araştırmada doküman incelemesi yönteminden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırmada temel materyal olarak Türkiye’deki liselerde 1931 yılı ile 2020 yılı arasında okutulan Tarih ve Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Tarihi (ve Türkiye Cumhuriyeti İnkılap Tarihi ve Atatürkçülük) ders kitaplarından yararlanılmıştır. Bu çerçevede araştırma, araştırma dönemini temsil ettiği düşünülen 20 ders kitabından oluşturulan bir örneklem üzerinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmada elde edilen veriler nitel veri analiz tekniği olan betimsel analiz ile analiz edilmiş, ulaşılan bulgular oluşturulan kategoriler altında ele alınarak değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda Cumhuriyet Dönemi’nde İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti ile ilgili konuların çerçevesi ve yaklaşım tarzının 1931 yılında yayınlanan Tarih ders kitaplarında belirlendiği, dönemin iç siyasi gelişmelerinin bir yansıması olarak bu ders kitaplarında İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyetine karşı olumsuz yaklaşımın günümüze doğru yaklaştıkça giderek zayıfladığı ve konuların çeşitlendiği anlaşılmaktadır. Genel olarak 1931 ders kitaplarında hissedilen Cumhuriyetçi kadro-İttihatçı karşıtlığının 2000’li yıllara yaklaştıkça yerini belli ölçüde Osmanlı-İttihatçı karşıtlığına bıraktığını söylemek mümkündür.

Solving the Riddle of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code

The paper focuses on analysing the novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. These are the depiction of religion (Christianity), conspiracy theories, myths and history used in the novel. There are five novels by Dan Brown of the Robert Langdon series. These are Angels and Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, Inferno and Origin respectively. The Da Vinci Code is one of the novels of the Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon is the central character in these novels. Robert Langdon, the professor in Harvard university, reveals mystery of a murder in Louvre Museum in Paris. He reveals secret plots conspired by various secret societies like the Priory of Sion, the Opus Dei, and the knights Templars. He also talks about Catholic Church conspiracies to gain domination and conspiracy theories about Jesus Christ and his supposed daughter from Mary Magdalene, the royal bloodline conspiracy theory. He also talks about historical Jesus and says that he was not a divine figure. He was also made of flesh and blood like normal people. This novel contains his own version of the history of religion and culture, the search for the keystone to find the mythical Holy grail and conflict between Christian secret societies.

Kereke Ya Sephiri: A Study of a Secret Society in Botswana and South Africa

The difference between esotericism and exoterism is unlike the difference between circles and rectangles. It is also not the difference between the size and relevance of a specific body of knowledge in circulation. It is rather the extent of the circulation, acceptance, understanding, and meaning of a particular body of knowledge, philosophy, or worldview, over the spiritual and socio-political life of diverse categories of people in society. The infancy of the academic study of esotericism, as well as its interdisciplinary nature, militate against the crystallization of a universally accepted definition of the term 'esotericism'. The various definitions of the term by researchers consistently relate to their research interests. In line with Faivre's concern with the forms of thought of esoteric movements (Faivre 1996), as well as the preoccupation that Versluis has with gnosis generation in esoteric movements (Versluis n.d), our study of Kereke ya Sephiri in Botswana and South Africa examines a) the cultural and religious contexts in which Frederick Modise, a gnostic in his own right, generated the underlying gnosis of his secret society, and b) the import of the content of this visionary mystical revelation in the spiritual and social lives of members of this secret society1. The study of the Setswana term, Kereke ya Sephiri (church of a secret, referring to a Christian-based secret society), is a study of African esotericism in South Africa and Botswana. The principal academic interest in the study of esotericism lies in our quest to identify the fundamental tenets of the worldviews of the specific esoteric society, the eclectic nature of its philosophy, and how this philosophy relates to the orthodoxy of the day (Christianity in this instance). We do so by concentrating on the form of thinking, engendered by esoteric practices. Esoteric groups do not appear or exist within cultural voids. For this reason, by identifying the eclectic or syncretic nature of the fundamental philosophy (gnosis) of these groups, we trace the cultural influences involved in the emergence and consolidation of these worldviews and philosophies. This study shows that African esotericism is not always antithetic or subversive of dominant or institutionalized Christianity.

THE MANY LIVES OF CONSTANCE BAKER MOTLEY

THE MANY LIVES OF CONSTANCE BAKER MOTLEY

Virtual Citizenship and Revolutionary Transatlantic Republicanism in the Musical Lives of Exiled United Irishmen

Virtual Citizenship and Revolutionary Transatlantic Republicanism in the Musical Lives of Exiled United Irishmen

Of Stag Hunts and secret societies: Cooperation, male coalitions and the origins of multiplicity

In many circumstances where multiple, autonomous actors exist, cooperation is only a viable strategy if other actors also pursue a strategy of cooperation. Such situations can be characterised in terms of the Stag Hunt, based on a parable told by Rousseau. Although traditionally interpreted as a device for understanding how mutually beneficial cooperation can emerge, Harrison Wagner points out that would-be exploiters must overcome similar problems to succeed at subjugating others. Successful cooperation may have the ironic consequence of enabling deeper conflict within and between a multiplicity of societies. Despite its canonical status, the importance of the Stag Hunt for understanding the interaction between multiple societies may have been underestimated. Nonetheless, rational choice theory alone cannot explain how cooperation-for-predation became established, while historical sociology’s conventional ‘materialist metanarrative’ of the origin of war and the state may have unduly neglected the role of gender relations. The phenomenon of men’s secret societies, found in many stateless societies, indicates that fraternal solidarity within coalitions of men competing to control women’s labour and bodies may provide a path to the nucleation of warlike states. If this is correct, it becomes clear that in many societies, men and women experience multiplicity in qualitatively different ways.

The Secret Side of the “Nobel” Challenge – Archives, Secret Societies, Publicity (Bulgaria, 1910–1945)

The prestigious world award has existed for more than 120 years, but there is still no Bulgarian winner. This report presents part of a study on this issue. Focusing on the personalities proposed until 1945 – Andrey Lyapchev, Pencho Slaveykov, Ivan Vazov, Ivan Grozev and Elisaveta Bagryana, the study traces the choice, motives and support they receive from the Bulgarian side. Presenting unknown facts from the archives, the report sheds light on another secret side – the intervention of secret societies in Bulgaria behind the candidacies and the formation of a lobby for the prestigious award. At the same time, public opinions, statements and statements that coincide with or differ from the actual facts are presented. For this purpose, examples from the pages of the Bulgarian and French press are attracted, as well as letters, memoirs and testimonies about the time.

Breaking the Chains, Forging the Nation: The Afro-Cuban Fight for Freedom and Equality, 1812–1912

Breaking the Chains, Forging the Nation: The Afro-Cuban Fight for Freedom and Equality, 1812–1912

Antisemitism in Umberto Eco’s The Prague Cemetery

The present paper focuses on the history of antisemitism and exploring it in the novel, The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco. Gradual development of antisemitism and conspiracy theories related to it will also be analysed in this paper. Umberto Eco's realistic portrayal of the then European society and various conspiratorial events and cover ups will also be dealt in the paper. The comparison between forging of the antisemitic text Protocols of The Learned Elders of Zion and its hate spreading message and use of it by Hitler as well as the main character Simone Simonini will also be done. A comparison will also be made between the condition of 19th century Italy and 20th century Germany. Simone Simonini's acquired antisemitism, xenophobism and conspiracy theory against the secret society The Freemasonry will also be analysed through the textual lines of the novel.

Restricted Data: The History of Nuclear Secrecy in the United States

Restricted Data: The History of Nuclear Secrecy in the United States