About Trans- States
Trans- States C.I.C. is a not-for-profit organisation, research network, art collective, and community outreach programme.
Our Mission
Our core mission is to work with, and for, communities to educate, empower, enchant, and entertain.
Our organisation is dedicated to building bridges and supporting exchanges between academics, independent scholars, esoteric practitioners, artists, and layfolk with shared interests in the study, production and consumption of contemporary occulture.
We will do this by showcasing and disseminating research and works of (oc)cultural production. And by encouraging informed debate, supporting evidence-based information exchange, and building networks that both constitute and explore contemporary occulture.
Methods of delivery include our flagship transdisciplinary conference series, esoteric art exhibitions, publishing platforms, and community-impact social events.
Our partners and stakeholders in this mission are:
- academic communities,
- esoteric artists,
- practitioners of esotericism,
- independent scholars of esotericism,
- all individuals and communities with interests in contemporary occulture.
Collaborate With Us
We are a research community, so we are always looking for ways to collaborate with others. There will be opportunities to contribute to future events, exhibitions and in our online open access peer-reviewed journal, Monad: Journal of Transformative Practice. We are a not-for-profit organisation, so we rely on the patronage and assistance of our partners, stakeholders and community. Watch out for further announcements, and for future posts about supporting our mission and collaborating with us.
If you think you have specific skills that you can offer and would like to be a part of our growing team, assisting us in realising our mission, drop us an email at info@trans-states.org to initiate a conversation.
Our Directors

Cavan McLaughlin
Chair and Founder
Cavan McLaughlin is a Senior Lecturer in Media Production at the University of the West of England (UWE), with research interests related to the role and function of occulture.

Carlos Ruiz Brussain
Director
Carlos Ruiz Brussain is an artist, a lecturer and a researcher. His practice is in the fields of drawing, illustration, concept art and painting.

Elizabeth Tomos
Director and Curator
Elizabeth Tomos is a performance artist working with expanded notions of drawing and printmaking. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, most recently at Sydney Contemporary and Impact11
Our Collaborators Meet the rest of the team

Anne O. Parker-Perkola
Managing Editor & Coordinator
Anne O. Parker-Perkola received a PhD in Religion from Rice University in spring 2021. Anne studies the contemplative literatures and cultures of medieval Europe and traditional Tibet,

Jim Keen
Web Content Editor
Jim Keen is a professional Librarian and writer who lives in rural Oxfordshire with his wife, two daughters and 4 cats. He has spent 21 years working

Chew Hui Ying
Communications and Social Media Officer
Chew Hui Ying is a graduate student with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Communications (Campaigns) from the University of the West of England in Bristol.

Jasmine Shadrack
Chair's Assistant & Coordinator
Dr Jasmine Hazel Shadrack is an adjunct professor at the Don Wright Faculty of Music Research and Composition, Western University, Canada. She is also a visiting lecturer at BIMM,