Fascism in America

Catalog description

In recent years, there is a growing public discussion about the rise of fascist trends and movements in America. This course will explore the historic roots of this discussion, focusing on the period between the late nineteenth century and McCarthyism in the early 1950s. Using both primary and secondary sources, we will examine in class the origins and manifestations of fascist ideas in the American context, looking at topics such as government repression, racism, nativism, the rise of the surveillance state, red scares, and immigration persecution. Students will engage in thinking of the long history of undemocratic forces in America and their place in American culture, as well as how their legacies shape our political landscape today. Offered as HSTY 323 and HSTY 423 .