Interdisciplinary Studies of Western Esoterim and Culture Studies

Summary

The article applies the Birmingham school's methodology for studying cultural products to Western esotericism, focusing on the extreme right spectrum. It examines the myth of an esoteric or alien origin of the Third Reich, popularized after the 1950s by authors such as W. Landig and M. Serrano. From the 1960s, these ideas spread beyond esoteric circles into popular fiction, later becoming common in films and computer games. The author shows how a myth initially aimed at a narrow circle of adepts transformed into part of mainstream culture, illustrating the complex process of assimilation by popular culture of myths born in esoteric milieus.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Interdisciplinary studies have long become an integral part of modern science, but in the field of religious studies and studies in Western esotericism, they are still not sufficiently widespread. In the article, well-known methodology of the study of a cultural product, developed by the Birmingham school of cultural studies is applied to the Western esotericism. The object of study is in the extreme right spectrum of contemporary esotericism. The myth of esoteric (or rather alien) background of the Third Reich was widely popularized after the 1950s through the works of W. Landig, M. Serrano, etc. Since the 1960s, these ideas were spread not only in the circles of adepts of right wing esotericism, but in popular fiction literature also; later this story became a common theme of films and computer industry. Thus, aimed at a narrow circle of adepts, the idea transformed itself and became a part of the mainstream culture. On the example of genesis, target audience, conditions of its development, author demonstrate the complexity of the process of assimilation by popular culture the myths, born in the esoteric milieu.