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Radical Paganism: Contemporary Heathens in Search of Political Identity
Miechová, Martina ; Matějčková, Tereza (advisor) ; Kozák, Jan (referee)
This paper aims to examine the development of political thinking of Heathenry and the factors that determine the political identity of particular heathen groups, namely their tendency to right-wing radicalism. The first chapter (after introduction) consists of four case studies; each one represents a different type of group in regard to where and under which circumstances they emerged, to the context that has been shaping their religious and political beliefs, and to the way they legitimize their possible political activism. The following two chapters analyze the historical influences that marked the difference in the ideological development of the two main types of Heathenry, Ásatrú and Odinism, in two distinct cultural milieus - Europe and the US. The final chapter is a synthesis of the case studies in relation to their historical background. The outcome of this synthesis offers a possible interpretation of the process of radicalization of the heathen groups. KEY WORDS: New religious movements, Germanic neopaganism, religious racism, political religion, nationalism, extremism, Asatru, Odinism
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Útgardaloki in the Context of Eddic Mythology
Miechová, Martina ; Kozák, Jan (advisor) ; Antalík, Dalibor (referee)
The submitted work concerns itself with the analysis and interpretation of the Utgarðaloki character on the basis of eddic mythology in which it appears. The introductory chapter focuses on primary sources and secondary literature, bringing together the results of the previous research which partly lend the structure to this work. The key primary text used is the myth about Ϸórr's journey to Utgarðaloki which is contained in the Younger Edda of Snorri Sturluson. Other versions of this narrative are also taken into account so that it may be possible to reconstruct the image of this character in its entirety and highlight its complementary aspects. This is the subject matter of the second chapter. Among these versions I have included Snorri's parallel myth about Þórr's journey to Geirrøðr, Saxo Grammaticus's narrative about Geruthus and Utgarthilocus from his work The History of the Danes, the Tale of Ϸorsteinn Bœjarmagn (belonging to the saga literature) and, used to a lesser extent, the skaldic poem Þórsdrápa. The third and fourth chapters compare Utgarðaloki to Oðinn and Loki - other mythological characters who share many common traits with him. Finally, in the concluding chapter I bring forward my own concept of Utgarðaloki as a mediating element between the two aforementioned deities, using the...
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