Four Week Class Taught Online Via Zoom
Sundays, July 5 - 26, 2026
1:00 - 2:30pm ET (NYC Time)
$150 Paid Patreon Members / $175 General Admission
PLEASE NOTE: Classes will be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Join author and occultist Carl Abrahamsson for a guided exploration of the life and work of J. G. Ballard, one of the most visionary writers of the modern world. Ballard saw science fiction not in distant galaxies, but in the landscapes we already inhabit: highways, high-rises, airports, and shopping malls.
We’ll begin with Ballard’s early life in wartime Shanghai, as reflected in Empire of the Sun, and how it shaped his interest in catastrophe and psychological transformation. We’ll then move to his early experimental novels, where climate and environment merge with inner states, along with the fragmented Atrocity Exhibition. From there, we’ll explore major works like Crash and High-Rise, which bring his vision into modern urban life, as well as novels that turn everyday spaces into sites of transformation. Finally, we’ll examine his later works, where he critiques consumer culture, corporate life, and the hidden violence within social systems.
Throughout the course, we will place Ballard in his broader historical and cultural context, including decolonization, the Cold War, and the rise of neoliberal globalization. We’ll also look at his influence on underground culture, post-punk, and artists such as Throbbing Gristle and Joy Division.
By the end of the class, “Ballardian” will become more than a stylistic label—it will be a way of understanding the hidden forces shaping contemporary life, from our built environments to our desires.
Carl Abrahamsson is the author of 20+ books, many of which deal with his many decades of working with occulture and magic. He is also the editor and publisher of the occultural journal “The Fenris Wolf” (1989-present day). He lives with his wife, American psychoanalyst Vanessa Sinclair, in Vimmerby, Sweden.
Four Week Class Taught Online Via Zoom
Sundays, July 5 - 26, 2026
1:00 - 2:30pm ET (NYC Time)
$150 Paid Patreon Members / $175 General Admission
PLEASE NOTE: Classes will be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Join author and occultist Carl Abrahamsson for a guided exploration of the life and work of J. G. Ballard, one of the most visionary writers of the modern world. Ballard saw science fiction not in distant galaxies, but in the landscapes we already inhabit: highways, high-rises, airports, and shopping malls.
We’ll begin with Ballard’s early life in wartime Shanghai, as reflected in Empire of the Sun, and how it shaped his interest in catastrophe and psychological transformation. We’ll then move to his early experimental novels, where climate and environment merge with inner states, along with the fragmented Atrocity Exhibition. From there, we’ll explore major works like Crash and High-Rise, which bring his vision into modern urban life, as well as novels that turn everyday spaces into sites of transformation. Finally, we’ll examine his later works, where he critiques consumer culture, corporate life, and the hidden violence within social systems.
Throughout the course, we will place Ballard in his broader historical and cultural context, including decolonization, the Cold War, and the rise of neoliberal globalization. We’ll also look at his influence on underground culture, post-punk, and artists such as Throbbing Gristle and Joy Division.
By the end of the class, “Ballardian” will become more than a stylistic label—it will be a way of understanding the hidden forces shaping contemporary life, from our built environments to our desires.
Carl Abrahamsson is the author of 20+ books, many of which deal with his many decades of working with occulture and magic. He is also the editor and publisher of the occultural journal “The Fenris Wolf” (1989-present day). He lives with his wife, American psychoanalyst Vanessa Sinclair, in Vimmerby, Sweden.
