Astrology is Booming. Is It?

Looking at the ‘spiritual scene’ today, it seems that astrology is everywhere. Many people in western Europe, particularly from the young generation, consult astrological advice or engage in various astrological practices, often combined with other ‘esoteric’ traditions such as Tarot. Is there an astrological hype today? What is astrology in the first place, and what kind of astrology is booming here? Is it true that young people are particularly open to astrology? How can we explain the interest in astrology in countries with an alleged ‘secular’ orientation such as the Netherlands? In this online edition of Let’s Ask, Kocku von Stuckrad provides some background information about these questions and puts current astrology in historical and cultural perspective.

Kocku von Stuckrad is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Groningen. He served as President of the Dutch Association for the Study of Religion, as well as the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture. From 2013–2017, he was Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies in Groningen. Von Stuckrad is a leading expert on the history of astrology and the development of spiritual practices in secular environments. His most recent book is A Cultural History of the Soul: Europe and  North America from 1870 to the Present (2022, Columbia University Press).

Let's Ask
In Let's Ask (before: Ask a Scientist) Groningen's finest researchers share their knowledge to provide context to that recurring 'thing' in the news and will answer your questions. In collaboration with Usva.