What is "agalma"

Agalma is an ancient Greek word that means ornaments, gifts, images and statues, put as offerings in the temples.

It may also refer to:

• The genus of siphonophore
• The plant genus Schefflera
• The academic journal Agalma (journal)

Agalma: Rivista di Studi Culturali e di Estetica is an academic journal dedicated to cultural studies and aesthetics. It was established in 2000 by the philosopher Mario Perniola and a group of Italian and international intellectuals in response to the widely felt discontent with the international and Italian philosophical and cultural contexts at the time. Its purpose is to provide a forum for the theoretical work around cultural studies and aesthetics in Italy. The title of the journal reflects its aims, contents, and orientation. "Agalma" is an ancient Greek word that means ornament, gift, image, and statue. It possesses a broad meaning in which economic value, aesthetic aspects, cultural studies, and symbolic power come together. The first part of an issue is usually monographic and connected to the theme of an international conference organized by the Chair of Aesthetics of the University of Rome Tor Vergata and other cultural institutions. The other sections include discussions, interviews, and reviews covering a wide range of concepts associated to both Western and non-Western philosophical thought. Among the collaborators: Jean Baudrillard, Bernardo Bertolucci, Luc Boltanski, Peter Burke, Bruno Latour, Michel Maffesoli, Richard Shusterman, Joseph Kosuth.