Introduction to Italian Fascism

Italy – The Rise of Italian Fascism, 1911-39

In this course, Dr Hannah Malone (University of Cambridge) explores the rise of Italian Fascism, focusing in particular on five key questions: (1) How did the experience of the First World War contribute to the rise of Fascism? (2) Was Fascism a forward-looking ideology? Did it embrace modernity or tradition? (3) What was the role of the dead in Fascism? (4) Why did the Fascist regime seek to gain colonies—in Libya, Ethiopia, and in the Balkan Peninsula? (5) How did Fascism seek to impact the lives of ordinary men and women?

Introduction to Italian Fascism

In this module, we provide a short introduction to Benito Mussolini and the Fascist regime in Italy, before introducing the key questions that will be explored in the rest of the course.