Abstract This article analyses Ernst Bloch’s (1885–1977) discourse on occultism in the interwar period and its reception among Marxist intellectuals. In particular, it draws attention to Bloch’s sustained treatment of “occultism” in Heritage of Our Times (1935), and illustrates how Bloch did not merely equate but rather negotiate various links between occultism, irrationalism, and fascism in a complicated manner. As such, the article seeks to contribute to the growing body of work that unsettles established scholarly perceptions around Marxism/critical theory’s relationship with esotericism. The article shows how Bloch’s treatment of the “occult” is more ambivalent than has previously been assumed, and further argues that Bloch’s understanding of occultism is inextricable from the greater effort at forging a Marxist theory of culture in the era of antifascism in the 1930s.

Abstract This article concerns a Hasidic homily describing a technique for lucid dream cultivation. The homily outlines a worldview in which fantasy and reality merge, and thoughts, both positive and negative, have real cosmic and personal consequences. To counter the allure of sexual fantasy, the homily recommends a form of Neoplatonic contemplation widely taught within early Hasidic circles. Although this contemplative technique frequently appears in early Hasidic literature, this homily is unique in explicitly describing its practice as leading to a specific revelatory dream state. Drawing on modern dream research, this study demonstrates that early Hasidism transformed anxieties about nocturnal emissions and demonic visitations into a sophisticated technique for inducing a form of lucid dream understood as a revelatory state in which the divine nature of reality can be directly perceived. In addition to explicating this homily in its Hasidic and broader Jewish—and especially Kabbalistic—contexts, the study highlights its significance as an example of the Hasidic interest in cultivating extraordinary religious experiences not only during waking life but within the realm of dreams as well.

Abstract Occultism significantly shaped European society, culture, and politics during the fin de siècle and interwar periods. While scholarship has extensively examined Western European and global occult movements, Eastern Europe—particularly Slavic countries—has only recently gained attention. This article compares Czech and Austrian occultism to analyze how race, ethnicity, and nationalism were integrated into occult discourses. It argues that occultism reinforced nationalist narratives by providing a sense of primordial continuity that was ideologically compelling, whether framed in terms of nation, ethnicity, or race—each serving as an occult discursive strategy to assert historical and spiritual legitimacy. Additionally, the article examines similar patterns in other Slavic countries, highlighting the adaptability of occult nationalism. By situating Slavic occultism within broader esoteric and political contexts, the article sheds new light on Central European nationalisms, their connections to esotericism, and occultism’s transnational dimensions.

Abstract This article analyzes the New Right’s engagement with esotericism and its impact on far-right politics since the postwar period. While dismissing “New Age” esotericism, the New Right holds Traditionalism in high esteem, particularly Julius Evola (1898–1974). Evola’s relevance is largely due to new translations and framings of his works since the 1990s and their active dissemination in prominent far-right circles. Scholars of esotericism played a key role, illustrating the intersections between political and academic spheres. This affected not only political ideologies, but also parts of the academic field of “Western esotericism,” which remains a major obstacle to critical engagement with politics to this day. Polemical narratives about the marginalization of esotericism by an alleged left-wing establishment, first articulated in far-right contexts, continue to shape the field. Critical examination of this is essential for a more rigorous scholarly approach not only to esotericism and radical politics, but also to major related social and political developments.

Abstract This article explores two books by the Italian radical thinker Julius Evola (1898–1974): Imperialismo pagano. Il fascismo dinnanzi al pericolo euro-cristiano (1928), written during the Concordat negotiations between Mussolini and the Catholic Church, and Heidnischer Imperialismus (1933), published in the wake of Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. The authors use the events surrounding the publication of these works to critically assess issues in contemporary Evola scholarship. They advocate for a more integrated approach that considers both Evola’s esoteric ideas and political views, challenging the prevailing tendency in current literature to study these aspects in isolation. The article concludes that, contrary to claims made by Evola’s sympathisers, his intellectual trajectory was neither “apolitical” nor “metapolitical”, but is more accurately described as “esoteric collaborationism”.