Fascism

The term ‘fascist’ is often bandied about and frequently used to dismiss the actions and ideas of those with whom we disagree. But what, exactly, is fascism? How did it manifest in the 20th Century, and is it present in regimes and/or ideas in the 21st century? This course will examine the basic ideas of fascism and the development and actions of fascist governments of Italy and Germany from the 1920’s to the 1940’s, and of Spain from 1939 to 1975. We will then turn to modern manifestations of fascist ideas and policies in the 21st century. The course will have no assigned reading, but a list of recommended sources will be provided.

Carol Zink, a retired high school history teacher of Modern World and AP European History, teaches history courses for OLLIs in New Hampshire and Hawaii. She supplements her knowledge with Stanford Continuing Education courses on a wide variety of geopolitical and historical topics, and books. She is also a retired Navy Captain, grandmother of five, community volunteer, online tutor, and an avid hiker, kayaker, swimmer, and chef. She usually divides her time between New Hampshire and California, with occasional stints with the grandkids in Hawaii