Politics and Culture in Fascist Italy

4.0 credits

Interviewed by the Chicago Daily News in 1924, Mussolini said that Fascism was “the greatest experiment in history in making Italians.” Within the historical and political framework of the so-called Ventennio Fascista – from 1922 to 1943 – the course examines Mussolini’s cultural politics as a fundamental strategy not only to gain popular consent and propagate the ideology of the regime, but to implement his vision of Italian national identity. Topics include the fascist philosophy and politics of education, the myth of Rome and its imperial legacy, the archeological, architectural, and restoration projects, the graphic arts, fashion, sports, gender roles, dissent, historiography, and documentary film. Emphasis will be placed on documentary materials in addition to secondary sources. A selection of films on the regime complements the course.