VIDEO

In late 2022, Giorgia Meloni emerged as Italy’s new Prime Minister and her party with neo-fascist roots, the Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia), as one of the winners of the elections. Her ascent to power has raised urgent questions about the memory of fascism and anti-fascism in its formative role for Italian national identity and politics. In the post-war decades, the anti-fascist foundation of the Italian Republic shaped party politics. Yet, with the disappearance or transformation of the country’s traditional parties, new (populist) actors have taken the scene and governed Italy based on new political narratives and historical memories. How should we assess the transformation of Italian politics and society in light of new Prime Minister from the far right? Do we witness a critical re-evaluation of the country’s 20^th century past and in particular the authoritarian legacy of fascism and the Resistenza? What does this development mean for contemporary Italian politics and society?

Speakers:

Prof. Giulia Albanese, University of Padua, Modern History

Prof. Amy King, University of Bristol, Department of History

Moderator:

Oliver Schmidtke, University of Victoria, Director of the Centre for Global Studies