Description:
Julius Evola and the Radical Right examines the ideas and influence of Italian thinker Julius Evola (1898-1974), an increasingly popular author within the far right and the esoteric milieu alike.
Review Quotes:
"In this book, Staudenmaier offers outstanding research, distinguished by its thorough reliability. The study is rigorous, grounded in extensive source work, and guided by a critical yet sober engagement with the evidence. Staudenmaier carefully contextualizes the material, tracing historical developments with clarity and illuminating present-day dynamics with sharp analytical precision. Accessible, precise, and comprehensive, this is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand both historical and current forms of far-right politics at a moment of renewed influence."
Julian Strube, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Göttingen.
"This lucid and carefully researched book examines the intellectual and political impact of Julius Evola, with particular attention to his racism and antisemitism. Drawing on extensive archival research and close analysis of Evola's original writings, Staudenmaier's book clarifies the historical record, dismantles enduring myths and distortions, and opens new avenues for research. At a time when Evola has regained visibility in the global landscape of radical right politics, this book addresses worrying present-day concerns."
Francesco Cassata, Professor of Contemporary History, University of Genoa.
"Grounded in meticulous historical scholarship, this book marks a watershed in the study of Julius Evola. Peter Staudenmaier's research establishes once and for all that Evola's deep ideological commitment to fascism and national socialism, including his virulent antisemitism and "spiritual racism," were not marginal or irrelevant but perfectly central to what he believed esotericism and Traditionalism were all about. From now on, his many admirers will have to live with that fact."
Wouter J. Hanegraaff, Professor of History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents, University of Amsterdam.
"In his meticulously researched book, Peter Staudenmaier perceptively analyzes Evola's career as a leading racist thinker during the Fascist regime and as a neofascist guru in the post-World War II era. He also offers intelligent speculations about why Evola's influence continues to grow today."
Richard Drake, Lucile Speer Research Chair in Politics and History, University of Montana