Dr. Joseph Culpepper is a performance scholar, magician, and magic consultant.

Joe is co-editor-in-chief of Circus: Arts, Life & Sciences. He is an Associate Researcher at the Research Center for Human Potential (HUPR) at the National Circus School of Montreal. He is a cofounder of the performance collective Ars Mechanica, a member of The Magic Circle in London, and works as a consultant for both private and public organizations.

Dr. Culpepper holds a PhD in comparative literature from the University of Toronto. His dissertation, “Reception and Adaptation: Magic Effects, Mysteries and Con Games,” analyzes how individuals experience magic through various media. A profile on his research can be found here.