Details

ONLINE  COURSE
Outbreak of a Social Virus: The Fascism of Benito Mussolini

Course Description:

Benito Mussolini’s regime in Italy in the first half of the 20th century was the first fascist government in modern history. This course investigates the contours of Mussolini’s fascism, beginning with its ideological origins as a spiritual force whose aim was to restore the unity and greatness of the Italian people after centuries of decline. We will also follow the development of the movement as it transformed itself first into a political party and then into a de facto dictatorship, with the charismatic personality of il Duce as its supreme leader. Among the topics that will also be discussed are the biography of Mussolini, how he and the fascist movement earned the consent of the Italian people, and the legacy of fascism in Italy after its disastrous conclusion during the Second World War.

Instructor:

Dr. Nicholas Albanese is Associate Professor of Italian in the Department of Modern Language Studies at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. He received his PhD from Indiana University in Italian Language and Culture and has taught extensively on Italian history, literature, and film both in Italy and the US. Dr. Albanese does research mainly on contemporary Italian history and culture with particular focus on Southern Italy and Sicily. His most recent publication discusses the ethics of story-telling in the works of the Sicilian author, Leonardo Sciascia. He is currently completing a project on 21st-century Italian apocalyptic fiction.

Course Objectives:

• To learn about the origins and development of fascism in Italy
• To understand how the fascist political movement earned the support of Italy’s population
• To present the biography of Benito Mussolini, il Duce
• To define what fascism was in Italy
• To analyze the downfall of fascism in Italy and the legacy it left behind

Virtual Classroom: Full access to an online educational platform with discussion forum, videos of recordings, syllabus, and reading list.

Location: LIVE INTERACTIVE ON-LINE HISTORY LECTURES

Optional Readings:
Readings to be provided to students in PDF format prior to the beginning of course.

Complete syllabus will be provided upon registration.

• ALL LECTURES WILL BE RECORDED AND AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT YOUR CONVENIENCE IN OUR VIDEO LIBRARY FOR THE DURATION OF THE COURSE

Schedule

LECTURE 1 – THE RISE OF FASCISM IN ITALY: NATIONALISM, BLACKSHIRTS, AND MUSSOLINI

– Tuesday, March 1

This lecture will present the historical and ideological context in which Benito Mussolini’s fascist movement was born and was able to become a political force in Italy.

LECTURE 2 – WINNING CONSENT: THE CULT OF IL DUCE

– Tuesday, March 8

This talk will focus on the early challenges of Mussolini’s fascist regime and analyze how il Duce was able to earn the consent of the Italian people.

LECTURE 3 – HITLER, WORLD WAR, AND THE FALL OF A DICTATOR

– Tuesday, March 15

In this lecture we will discuss Mussolini’s friendship with Hitler and the end of the fascist regime in Italy after World War Two.

Instructor

Dr. Nicholas Albanese is Associate Professor of Italian in the Department of Modern Language Studies at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. He received his PhD from Indiana University in Italian Language and Culture and has taught extensively on Italian history, literature, and film both in Italy and the US. Dr. Albanese does research mainly on contemporary Italian history and culture with particular focus on Southern Italy and Sicily. His most recent publication discusses the ethics of story-telling in the works of the Sicilian author, Leonardo Sciascia. He is currently completing a project on 21st-century Italian apocalyptic fiction.