Fascism in Italy

Catalog description

The word "fascist" elicits a wide range of connotations: strong man regimes, cults of personality, violent nationalists, police states, and, in its broadest use, anyone we don't like. This course examines the experience of fascism in Italy from its development in the early twentieth century to the present day, with particular emphasis on Benito Mussolini's regime (1922-1943, known as the "ventennio"). Through readings from a variety of disciplines, we explore: the social and political conditions that led to Mussolini's march on Rome in October 1922, with emphasis on the impacts of the First World War; the imagery, symbols, and rhetoric used by the regime, including the Roman "fascio littorio" and other appeals to the greatness of ancient Rome; the regime's major undertakings, including the Lateran Pacts with the Catholic Church, the invasion and occupation of Ethiopia, the Rome-Berlin Axis, and the passing of the antisemitic Racial Laws; fascist period culture, including children's literature, film, and Futurist art; forms of anti-fascist resistance and the fall of the regime; and the legacies of Fascism in Italy to the present day. Students will explore how Italians experienced fascism through a range of novels, short stories, films, children's books, poetry, and visual art. Conducted in English.