Between the two world wars, many European countries—most notably Italy and Germany—saw the emergence of authoritarian and charismatic forms of government. Although there were significant differences between these movements and regimes, many still refer to them as “fascist” or “para-fascist.” Is fascism a useful historical category, and can comparative analysis help us understand the nature of these regimes and the causes of their success and eventual failure? Were these regimes modern or reactionary? What is the relationship between fascism, nationalism, and racism? This course will address these questions by exploring first the two principal examples, Italian Fascism and German Nazism, as political, social, and cultural systems. We'll then extend our analysis to other national cases, including Spain, Austria, Hungary, and Romania. Finally, we will examine the politics of neo-Fascism and the radical right in the post-WWII period.

Course Requirements:

Intensive reading; research paper fulfilling the LSA Upper-Level Writing Requirement

Intended Audience:

History majors

Class Format:

Seminar