Spirituality and Politics on the 75th Anniversary of Adorno's "Theses Against Occultism"

The 75th anniversary of Adorno’s Minima Moralia and his “Theses Against Occultism” provide a timely occasion to assess the confluence of spirituality and politics. Panelists on this roundtable will examine how spirituality, esotericism, and the occult have been vital to political movements and actions on both the left and the right. Though Adorno was sharply critical of astrology and other New Age beliefs, this panel considers the metaphysical tradition as a whole to be neither good nor bad, just as traditions like Christianity and Islam are neither good nor bad. Instead, relying on their original empirical research, panelists will analyze the specific ways in which metaphysical beliefs and practices have guided and buttressed activity across the political spectrum. As metaphysical spirituality moves from the margins of society into mainstream and popular culture, it’s more important than ever to consider its political range and the modes to which it tends.