SSWI-285G Fascism Then and Now

3 Credits

This course approaches the pressing issue of contemporary fascism from a philosophical perspective. We are currently witnessing a disturbing global resurgence of right-wing authoritarianism, and more overtly fascist movements are becoming increasingly mainstream. In this course, we will think about how to understand this trend, exploring where fascism comes from and what makes it appealing to masses of people. We will attempt to map its core ideological features. And, perhaps most importantly, we will consider how we ought to respond to it. For instance, should fascist speech be tolerated? How can we guard against fascist appropriation of social and environmental struggles? And when is violence against fascists acceptable?