Identifying fascism
This course will explore definitions of fascism that can help identify its manifold forms. We will cover the nineteenth-century and early-twentieth-century intellectual, cultural, socio-economic and political preconditions for the emergence of fascist movements.
What are the origins of fascism? Did it start with Mussolini’s Fasci Italiani di Combattimento in March 1919 or did it emerge simultaneously in various locations? How did it evolve and what shapes did it take on? Must it be seen as a European creation or did other continents develop their own variants, with distinguishable local traits? Can we justifiably speak of re-emerging fascism in the twenty-first century or do current-day developments require a new terminology in order to grasp what distinguishes their novelty?
This course will explore the twentieth-century historic development of fascism – or fascisms – to identify the intellectual, cultural, social, economic and political conditions that have been crucial to its formation, its workings and its variety of outcomes.
Recommended prior knowledge
Being familiar with the timeline of major political events in the twentieth-century European history and its entanglements with the history of other parts of the world will be helpful in understanding the lectures on the origins of fascism. Furthermore, a basic knowledge of key dates in the twentieth-century political history of Argentina, Brazil, India, Iraq, Japan, South Africa, Syria and the United States of America will provide a better grasp of some of the cases discussed.
Time, date, location and price
- 7 April - 22 May 2026
- Tuesday 13:00-15:00 and Friday 11:00-13:00
- Oudemanhuispoort D0.09 (on both days)
- € 210 (AUV-members € 189)
Registration for this OUC is no longer possible, as all places have been booked.
Important to know
- For the current study schedule, please consult the UvA timetable website
- You can only audit an OUC, which means that you may only attend lectures and cannot attend seminars, take part in the examination, or obtain ECTS credits.
Study material
- Reading materials will be made available on Canvas.
Docenten
Public programme Humanities
This Open UvA Course is part of the Faculty of Humanities' public programme. Beside Open UvA Courses, the public programme also comprises special lectures and series of courses. The public programme is intended for alumni, employees looking for extra training, and all others who are interested in art, culture, philosophy, language and literature, history and religion.
- Mode
- Open UvA Course
- Language of instruction
- English
- Starts in
- April