On the one-hundred year anniversary of the March on Rome, this centennial seminar provides an in-depth understanding of fascism, its intellectual and political roots, its critique of liberal democracy and communism, and its legacies, with particular attention to fascism’s cultural expressions. Its first half will be devoted to readings from key fascist thinkers and theorists; its second half to a series of case studies of major artists, writers, architects, and film-makers who embraced the fascist faith: among them Ezra Pound, author of the Cantos, one of the masterpieces of 20th century American poetry; Leni Riefenstahl, the German film director of classic documentaries such as Olympia and Triumph of the Will; F. T. Marinetti, founder of the Italian Futurist movement; and Mario Sironi, the leading painter, muralist, and graphic artist of the so-called Lictorial Style. Course themes will include: fascism vs. nazism; collectivism vs. individualism; radical right attitudes towards technology and industrialization; and comparisons between mid-20th century fascisms and the sub-cultures of the contemporary new right.
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