Fascism Today? Historical Perspectives and Contemporary Debates

The term "fascism" seems to be everywhere: in public debates and political disputes, in the press, and at demonstrations. It is used to describe right-wing parties and movements, religious fundamentalist governments, and sometimes even economic developments or the digital sphere. Since Donald Trump's return to office at the latest, the question has been raised whether the United States is on the path toward becoming a fascist state. One impression is conveyed: fascism is back.

But what exactly is meant by this? Which historical features of fascism can actually be applied to contemporary developments, and where does such usage become a problematic conceptual overextension? Is it analytically useful to describe present-day authoritarian tendencies as fascist, or do we instead need new terms for this purpose? And is there not also a danger of relativizing the specifically violent and murderous character of historical fascism if the term is too hastily applied to the present? On the other hand, might the invocation of fascism also be understood as a political warning?

This seminar explores these questions from both historical and systematic perspectives. It examines the political, social, and economic developments that led to fascism in the 1920s and 1930s, while also asking about the similarities and differences between the era of fascism and the present. The seminar thus focuses not only on the history of fascism, but also on the question of how we can adequately describe contemporary authoritarian, anti-democratic, and radicalized developments.