The New F Word

In this first episode of The New F-Word, we dip our toe in the incredibly varied field of comparative fascist studies. Start out by getting acclimated to what this series is about, then strap in for a crash course in the Marxist Theory of Fascism for the remainder of the episode. The Left, to this day, represents perhaps the clearest and most incisive understanding of the threat to the world posed by the deeply disturbed ideology of fascism.

Take a trip with us back to where it all began, and see how Fascism emerged in interwar Italy. In this second episode of The New F-Word, we'll investigate the origin and characteristics of the original Fascism, the ideology espoused by Mussolini and his paramilitary gangs that came to conquer the country. While fascism spread far and wide in varying forms during the interwar and post-WWII period, there is much to learn from this first appearance of the world's most hated, and arguably most poorly understood political program. What is it that made the first Fascism appealing to the Italian people, and what conditions led to its modification and adoption around the world?

Is fascism one thing or many? If it's a single, distinct ideology, how do we explain the fact that fascism appears and flourishes in diverse and varied locations and societies, often with contradictory components? In this third episode of The New F-Word, we'll investigate how the fascist virus mutated from a single, isolated variant, to a global phenomenon in a very short time.

"Nazism" holds a special place in a disturbing cluster of historical and political buzzwords. It's one of those words that, by its mention alone, triggers an almost visceral feeling of horror, conjuring up unspeakable images of mass atrocities. Most histories of Nazi Germany focus too intently on Hitler's "evil" alone, which does a disservice to actual critical investigation of Nazi ideology. In this installment of The New F-Word, we'll take a deep dive into what animated this most destructive and horrific strain of fascism.

While the defeat of the Axis in WWII spelled the end of the "fascist era," fascism itself would survive. Driven underground for a time, it would emerge mutated and adapted to its new environment. From inspiring so called "lone wolf" terrorists to breeding a new generation of tech-savvy Universal Nazis, fascism's various permutations throughout the years have proven this hateful ideology to be more resilient than most would think. Join us for episode five of The New F-Word as we explore the history of fascism's survival post-WWII and how it has adapted to the modern world.