What is Fascism?
In this time of divided politics both nationally and globally, few terms are as easily thrown about as “fascist.” But what is fascism? Historians, political scientists, politicians, journalists, activists, and the general public have been struggling with this question for a hundred years and have come to but few broadly accepted definitions.
This academic five session evening course will focus on historical fascist movements and governments in Italy, Germany, Spain and Japan from the end of World War I to the end of World War II. We will watch videos, listen to music, look at photographs and other pictures, and read a variety of materials from the time and afterwards. We will attempt to come up with an answer to this question as a class. No expertise is required--only an eagerness to read and discuss.
This course will be broken down into 5 sessions. Sessions will open with a lecture on the days material given by the instructor followed by structured Socratic discussions. Beginners are not only welcome but encouraged.
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Session 1: Introduction to Fascism
We will discuss the historical context of the emergence of fascism in the aftermath of the First World War, its intellectual antecedents, and the social, political, and economic situation of postwar Europe and East Asia.
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Session 2: Italy
Benito Mussolini was synonymous with fascism at least until the rise of Hitler. As the standard bearer of the movement in Italy and the ambivalent advocate of international fascism, how can we assess his significance and the significance of the Partito Nazionale Fascista (PNF) in Italian and world history?
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Session 3: Germany
Adolf Hitler, and not Mussolini, usually comes to mind when people today think of fascism. How did this happen? What was the relationship between German National Socialism and Italian Fascism?
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Session 4: Spain/Japan
Did Japan and Spain experience “fascism” in power in a way that is analogous to Italy and/or Germany? Considerable disagreement exists among scholars, and we will wade into this debate by examining the ideas, movements, and governments in both countries and their relationships with Fascism and Nazism.
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Session 5: What is Fascism? reflections & Conclusions
How can we define fascism? As a movement in power, should it be limited to Italy and, perhaps, Germany, Japan and Spain, or should we apply it more broadly? What is fascism’s relationship to other forms of authoritarian politics and governments? Should the term be limited to describing aspects of the first half of the twentieth century, or is it useful today?
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Required texts and materials for the course will be sent out by the instructor via email weekly.
