Venue: Room J210, 13 rue de l´Université - 75007 Paris

 

Speaker :
Andrea Ruggeri, University of Oxford

 

ABSTRACT

Fascism first emerged in Italy in 1919 and the National Fascist Party (PNF) was founded in 1921. It spread in various forms to many other countries and over different continents; its German mutation caused WWII and was defeated after millions of deaths. However, to what extent was it really defeated? Contemporary political events show that anti-democratic ideologies hardly disappear forever, and ideological networks – even if composed only by a scant minority – can survive as karst rivers that continue irrigating parts of the society and re-emerge on the surface at specific critical junctures. In this research seminar, Professor Andrea Ruggeri will bring together several of his research projects to discuss and show the relation of fascist violent practices and their long-term legacies. First, he will articulate and empirically show how the violent practices of fascism before the March on Rome were tolerated and then supported by incumbent coalitions for political purposes. Second, he will discuss how the killing of civilians by the Nazi foreign invaders was also within a logic of Fascist political survival. Third, he will develop how the armed resistance against fascism related with the collapse of the fascist mythology of its own army, alternative ideological networks, and emotional shocks. Fourth, he will discuss how the legacy of local armed resistance against fascism did have a long-lasting effect on democratic practices and voting behaviour in the Italian democratic republic. He will conclude showing how the local experience of first Fasci mobilization in the 1920s had a legacy effect on the neo fascist violence during the Years of Lead in Italy.

 

 

 

BIO

Andrea Ruggeri is Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Oxford, where he served as the Director of the Centre for International Studies. He is also the University of Oxford convenor of the Hub on Conflict, Peace and Security. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Amsterdam from 2010. He holds a PhD in Government (Essex, 2011), an MA International Relations (Essex, 2006) and a BA in Diplomatic and International Sciences (Genova, 2005). He has been visiting professor at the University of Genova, Bocconi University, University of Milano Statale. Now he is visiting Sciences Po thanks to the OxPo network.

 

His work focuses on civil wars, political violence, and peace operations. His research has been published in the British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, European Journal of International Relations, International Security, International Interactions, International Organization, International Peacekeeping, International Studies Review, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research, Political Geography, Political Science Research & Methods, World Politics and edited volumes. In 2020, he published for Oxford University Press - with Vincenzo Bove and Chiara Ruffa – a book entitled “Composing Peace”. In 2023, he has published with Giampiero Cama a book for Mondadori entitled “Potere, Incertezza e Identità. Elementi di Scienza Politica.”

 

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