Recent methodological and instrumental advances in paleomagnetic and magnetic fabric techniques are continuously increasing their already high potential in solving research questions in various Earth science disciplines. In this session, we highlight these theoretical and methodological advances and the universal application of paleomagnetism. In particular, the session will explore contributions combining paleomagnetic and magnetic fabric data retrieved by several means of fabric analysis (magnetic and non-magnetic) and novel approaches in data evaluation. Applications presented will bear on fundamental interpretations of paleomagnetic data, tectonic reconstructions, the nature of the past geomagnetic field and the use of magnetism to track the dispersal of humans and their impacts on the environment.