Fascism is a hot topic these days, but what exactly does it mean? It certainly evokes a variety of powerful images – hate, authoritarianism, intolerance, populism, white supremacy – to name but a few. Despite the ubiquity of the word itself, however, few people know that its origins can be traced to interwar Italy and the Italian word fascio, referring to the Ancient Roman fasces, and that Benito Mussolini’s two-decade-long regime (1922-1943) was, in fact, the world’s first fascist dictatorship. From bloody colonial wars to attempts at crafting a race of new, perfected, ‘modern’ Italians to his pervasive cult of personality, Mussolini’s power and image were virtually inescapable throughout the fascist Ventennio– he truly was the face of fascism.

So what does ‘fascism’ mean, then? Is it a descriptor for a specific historical regime or can it be applied more broadly? In this course we’ll seek to probe this and other related questions, such as: what characterizes fascism? What makes something ‘fascist?’ Can we (or, should we) speak of different types of ‘fascisms?’ What was life like under Italian fascism? How did an Italian fascist think? Or, put differently, how did fascism represent itself? What did it seek to accomplish? And did it succeed? We shall find that, for most of these questions, the answers are far from straightforward.

Focusing on (though not exclusively) the Italian case, we will delve into and analyze works by such figures as Giorgio Bassani, Emilio Gentile, Roger Griffin, Marla Stone, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Benito Mussolini himself. Our approach will lead us to engage with a wide range of texts and materials, including films and novels about life under fascism, fascist doctrine, propaganda, speeches, and scholarly essays on fascism as a political, cultural, and social system. By the semester’s conclusion, students will have a solid understanding of the complexities surrounding the term, both in its historically-contextualized use and in its more contemporary applications.

Evaluation in the form of two lengthy papers (+revisions) and numerous smaller writing exercises will provide students with the opportunities to think both critically and comparatively about the materials discussed in class and to present their own original syntheses. Students will be particularly encouraged to draw from their own observations of the contemporary political climate and the return of the ‘strongman,’ as well as from other authoritarian contexts, whether historical or present, with which they might be familiar.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.