HIST 138: Fascisms in History: Past, Present...Future?

Fascisms in History: Past, Present...Future?

A historical survey of fascist ideologies, parties, and movements. The first section of the course probes fascism’s roots in nineteenth-century political, intellectual, and cultural currents as well as the formative role of World War I and its aftermath in galvanizing fascist parties. The cases of Italian Fascism and German National Socialism anchor the course’s middle section on fascist regimes from 1922 to 1945, with comparisons to fascist movements elsewhere in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The course’s final section explores the rise of neo-fascist movements after World War II, with particular emphasis on the resurgence of populist nationalisms in the 21st century and their similarities and differences to past fascist movements. Throughout the course we will consider how different forms of fascism engage with issues of race, gender, class, modernity, and the environment.