Fascism and Masculinity Around the World, 1919-1945

In this seminar we will explore how ideas about masculinity shaped the character and goals of fascist movements around the world between 1919 and 1945. We will investigate conceptions of gender, sexuality, race, and nation as manifested in paramilitary organizations, leadership cults, international sporting competitions, and the reorganization of work and domestic life. Texts will include scholarly monographs as well as films by Leni Riefenstahl, narratives by kamikaze pilots, and debates about cultural “degeneracy.” The seminar will provide an introduction to the historiography of fascism, methods of transnational inquiry, and the study of gender and sexuality.