The relationship between politics and occultism is often misunderstood. Despite popular conceptions of Nazi esotericism, or depictions in folk horror films like The Wicker Man, throughout modern history occult spirituality has regularly interwoven with progressive social movements.

Mitch Horowitz is a historian of alternative spirituality, and in his new book, Modern Occultism, he presents a sprawling history of the occult, looking at its revival in Renaissance-era Europe and the threads that connect it to antiquity and the present. While he examines many different strains within occultism, including ones associated with fascist and far-right movements, Horowitz presents a frequently liberatory view—socially and personally—of the diverse movement.

In this interview, edited for length and clarity, we discuss the radical history of occultism, and where the occult stands in relation to politics today.

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