War for Eternity: The Return of Traditionalism and the Rise of the Populist Right - Softcover

Teitelbaum, Benjamin R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0141992034 ISBN 13: 9780141992037

Publisher: Penguin, 2021

Synopsis

'Insightful and immersive' Sunday Times

'An intellectual non-fiction thriller' Financial Times

A riveting exposé of the hidden philosophical movement that drives the populist right around the world

Steve Bannon in the United States. Aleksandr Dugin in Russia. Olavo de Carvalho in Brazil. All rising to positions of power in the past decade. All affiliated with an obscure philosophical movement called Traditionalism.

Since its birth in the early 20th century, Traditionalism has defined itself against modernity and Enlightenment values. Traditionalist thinkers celebrated hierarchy, denounced the idea of progress, and regarded liberal secularism, capitalism, and communism as aligned forces working to replace social, cultural and political norms. Ethnographer Benjamin Teitelbaum had been studying Traditionalism for years as a sort of novelty, associated with a restless subsection of the right -- too antisocial for activism and largely without influence. And yet when Steve Bannon entered the White House in 2017, reports suggested he was an avid reader of Traditionalist teachings.

Teitelbaum spent years infiltrating this strange group of self-styled thinkers, gurus and influencers and getting to the heart of their philosophy. Through exclusive interviews and deep historical context, he reveals the radical worldview infusing the thinking of powerful figures today and inspiring a renegade reinterpretation of humanity, geopolitics and history. Fast-paced and gripping, War for Eternity is a riveting expose and a must-read for anyone trying to understand the Far Right's vision to change the world.

About this title

About the Author

Benjamin Teitelbaum is a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. His first book, Lions of the North was widely reviewed and critically acclaimed. He has published opinion pieces in Foreign Policy, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and the Atlantic, as well as multiple op-eds in the New York Times, all of them dealing with far-right politics and activism.

From the Back Cover

Steve Bannon in the United States. Olavo de Carvalho in Brazil. Aleksandr Dugin in Russia. Gábor Vona in Hungary. All rising to power in the past decade. All affiliated with an obscure philosophical movement called Traditionalism. Since the early 20th century, Traditionalism has defined itself against modernity and Enlightenment values. Traditionalist thinkers such as René Guénon and Julius Evola celebrated hierarchy, denounced the idea of progress, and regarded liberal secularism, capitalism, and communism as aligned forces working to replace social, cultural and political norms. Ethnographer Benjamin Teitelbaum had been studying Traditionalism for years as a sort of novelty, associated with a restless subsection of the right - too antisocial for activism and largely without influence. And yet when Steve Bannon entered the White House in 2017, reports suggested he was an avid reader of Traditionalist teachings. Through exclusive interviews and deep historical context, Teitelbaum reveals the radical worldview infusing the thinking of powerful actors and inspiring a renegade reinterpretation of humanity, geopolitics and history. Fast-paced and gripping, War for Eternity is a must-read for anyone trying to understand the Far Right's vision to change the world.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0141992034
• ISBN 13: 9780141992037
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336