In the opinion of some historians the era of fascism ended with the
deaths of Mussolini and Hitler. Yet the debate about its nature as a
historical phenomenon and its value as a term of historical analysis
continues to rage with ever greater intensity, each major attempt to
resolve it producing different patterns of support, dissent, and even
hostility, from academic colleagues. Nevertheless, a number of
developments since 1945 not only complicate the methodological and
definitional issues even further, but make it ever more desirable that
politicians, journalists, lawyers, and the general public can turn to
"experts" for a heuristically useful and broadly consensual definition
of the term. These developments include: the emergence of a highly
prolific European New Right, the rise of radical right populist parties,
the flourishing of ultra-nationalist movements in the former Soviet
empire, the radicalization of some currents of Islam and Hinduism into
potent political forces, and the upsurge of religious terrorism. Most
monographs and articles attempting to establish what is meant by fascism
are written from a unilateral authoritative perspective, and the intense
academic controversy the term provokes has to be gleaned from reviews
and conference discussions. The uniqueness of this book is that it
provides exceptional insights into the cut-and-thrust of the controversy
as it unfolds on numerous fronts simultaneously, clarifying salient
points of difference and moving towards some degree of consensus.
Twenty-nine established academics were invited to engage with an article
by Roger Griffin, one of the most influential theorists in the study of
generic fascism in the Anglophone world. The resulting debate progressed
through two 'rounds' of critique and reply, forming a fascinating
patchwork of consensus and sometimes heated disagreement. In a spin-off
from the original discussion of Griffin's concept of fascism, a second
exchange documented here focuses on the issue of fascist ideology in
contemporary Russia. This collection is essential reading for all those
who realize the need to provide the term 'fascism' with theoretical
rigor, analytical precision, and empirical content despite the complex
issues it raises, and for any specialist who wants to participate in
fascist studies within an international forum of expertise. The book
will change the way in which historians and political scientists think
about fascism, and make the debate about the threat it poses to infant
democracies like Russia more incisive not just for academics, but for
politicians, journalists, and the wider public.
