Leo Ruickbie

Leo Ruickbie
Alma materKing's College, London
OccupationWriter
Years active2004–present
SpouseAntje Bosselmann-Ruickbie
Websitehttp://www.ruickbie.com

Leo Ruickbie is a British historian and sociologist of religion, specializing in exceptional experiences, paranormal beliefs, magic, witchcraft and Wicca. He is the author of several books, beginning with Witchcraft Out of the Shadows,[1] a 2004 publication outlining the history of witchcraft from ancient Greece until the modern day. Ruickbie was born in Scotland and took a master's degree in Sociology and Religion at the University of Lancaster. He then studied at King's College London and was an awarded a PhD for his thesis entitled The Re-Enchanters: Theorising Re-Enchantment and Testing for its Presence in Modern Witchcraft.[2][3][4] On Samhain 2007 he launched Open Source Wicca, a project inspired by the open-source software movement aimed at making the founding texts of Wicca more readily available by releasing them under a Creative Commons licence.[5] In 2008 and 2009 he exhibited on the subject of witchcraft in France.[6][7] He is also a council member of the Society for Psychical Research,[8] a professional member of the Parapsychological Association,[9] the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism,[citation needed][10] and is on the committee of the Gesellschaft für Anomalistik.[11] In 2021, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society[12] and in 2022 a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute.[13] He is the current editor of the Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research.[14]

  1. ^ Ruickbie, Leo (2004). Witchcraft Out Of The Shadows A Complete History. Robert Hale. ISBN 978-0-7090-7567-7.
  2. ^ Selig, Martina (October 2006). Forum Gelb.
  3. ^ "About Dr Leo Ruickbie". Witchology.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
  4. ^ Michelot, Luc (April 2008). "C'est pas sorcier". Les Ardennes en Marche.
  5. ^ "Open Source Wicca". Witchology.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2007.
  6. ^ "Mouzon: Les sorcières s'invitent au colombier". L'Ardennais. 19 June 2008.
  7. ^ "Un expert en sorcellerie partage son savoir". L'Ardennais. 17 February 2009. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009.
  8. ^ "Leo Ruickbie". The Society for Psychical Research. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Leo Ruickbie". Parapsychological Association. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  10. ^ "Welcome to the Website of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism". Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  11. ^ "Die Gremien der Gesellschaft für Anomalistik" (in German). Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  12. ^ "171 new Fellows & Members elected to the Society". Royal Historical Society. 7 December 2021. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Directory of Fellows". Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Paranormal Review: The Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research". The Society for Psychical Research. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.