Cultural Astronomy and Astrology (SCSCAA) at Bath Spa University College
(BSUC). The former, under the auspices of the Social Work Studies Department,
concentrates on social science research and is establishing a database on research into
astrology (for example, the use of astrology in counseling). The latter, an outgrowth of
BSUC’s Department for the Study of Religions, has its own premises at the college’s
Newton Park campus to promote the academic study of astrology and its practice and
pursue research, scholarship, and teaching on the relationship between cosmological,
astronomical and astrological beliefs, myths and theories in past and contemporary
society, politics, religion, and the arts. SCSCAA offers postgraduate programs (M.A.
and Ph.D) and has plans to extend its curricula to the M.B.A. level as well.
The RGCSA program comprises seven chief foci. First is the study of history
and the history of science—especially in considering the central role astrology has
played in the history of culture and the development of scientific thought. Secondly,
there is a concern with archeology or archeoastronomy and how understanding of
planetary and stellar systems and their symbolisms has been integral in the construc-
tion of ancient ritualistic centers. Works that typify the efforts in this direction are
Baity (1973) and Ruggles (1999). More contemporary orientation, however, appears
in the RGCSA’s remaining concentrations. Its third focus is anthropological and
involves the role of astrological belief in modern cultures and social systems. A fourth
interest along the lines of Tyson’s pursuit (1982; 1984) is described as sociological and
seeks, among other things, to understand the persistence of attention to horoscopes in
a scientific age. Related here is psychological research such as that undertaken by
Eysenck and discerning any possible link between personality and planetary indica-
tion—e.g., connections between alleged astrological influence and the complex of
health psychology. Another interest is in understanding the astrological community
itself from a sociological perspective. And lastly, the RGCSA seeks to investigate
both rigorously and skeptically the astrological, astronomical and biological intercon-
nections, if any, between season-of-birth, on the one hand, and personality, career,
and personal problems, on the other.
One problem for all modern researchers into cultural astronomy and astrology
in particular is that they are confronted with few predecessors and accredited works on
which to develop their own projects. Most effort in the field of astrological research
has been toward attempting to prove or disprove astrology as a science. This usually
comes down to whether predictions of future events and/or personality development
that are based on the configurations of the stars and planets can be verified. There has
been correspondingly little in the way of cultural and social analysis of the phenome-
non itself as it affects or is used by people themselves—whether individually or collec-
tively. An example of the use of astrology affecting an entire group would be, among
others, the postponing of the date for independence by the Republic of India for a
more auspicious moment in which to launch the new nation.
At best, apart from the attempts to prove or disprove stellar-based divination,
astrological studies to date are chiefly historical and follow the lead of the 1899 pio-
neering work of Richard Allen’s 1963 Star-Names and Their Meanings.Allen minutely
investigated the folklore heritage associated with the heavenly bodies that have been
recorded in the writings of the Chinese, Arabic, Mesopotamian, Biblical, Greek, andContemporary Academic Study of Astrology
[174] THEASTROLOGYBOOK