A Social History of Italian Fascism

This book uncovers how fascism reshaped Italian society according to its ideological and historical interpretation of the Italian nation and people and identifies the strengths of this transformation, but also the resistance encountered from, for example, women and minority groups, to accept it in everyday life. It analyzes the success achieved by some policies aimed at popular masses in order to integrate them into the nation, and how fascism initiated an early welfare state project to address specific categories of society such as veterans, families, mothers and children. The book also questions the concept and practices of social citizenship reserved only for those who gave evidence of formal adherence to fascism.

Patrizia Dogliani is Full Professor of Contemporary History at Bologna University, Italy.