Seduced by fascism 3501-UF19-S
The „philosophy” produced by the main fascist ideologists – though it constitutes, obviously, an object of scientific research as ideology of murderous regimes and dangerous movements – is rightly considered an eclectic compilation of figures that (to put it mildly) have no significant intellectual weight. Nevertheless, it is a fact that, in the XXth century, many important intellectuals (philosophers, writers, etc.), have “flirted” with fascism, submitted to its attractive force by either joining fascist organizations, or voicing opinions that were resonating with fascist doctrines. Without falling into vulgar propaganda, they let themselves be seduced in this or that way. During the seminar we are going to discuss the texts of important and interesting authors who have been seduced by fascism. Our aim will be, on the one hand, to understand those aspects of their thinking that made this situation possible, and, on the other, to grasp the fatal attracting force of the fascism itself, its power to seduce even outstanding minds.
Our list of authors is certainly not a complete list of significant theoreticians and artists seduced by fascism. Also the attitudes of those, whose texts we are going to discuss, toward fascism were different, when it comes to length, intensity and character of the relation. About some of them one could well say that it was rather them who were seducing the fascists, belonging, themselves, to the movements or milieus from which fascism was to emerge. The basic objective will be to shed light upon the problem from as many perspectives as possible, to grasp its inner complexity by taking into account different linguistic and cultural as well as philosophical contexts.
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
Acquired knowledge:
- students will be familiar with the terminology applied in the texts of the chosen authors supporting fascism
- students will be aware of the norms that constitute and regulate social structures and institutions, and able to identify the sources of these norms, their nature and many ways they influence human behaviour
Acquired skills:
- students will read and interpret philosophical texts
- students will be able to identify links between the formation of philosophical ideas and social/cultural processes
Acquired social competence:
- students will be aware of the range of knowledge they acquired and understand the need for continual education
- students will be open to new ideas and ready to change their views in the light of available data and arguments
Assessment criteria
presentations or essays
Bibliography
We are going to read fragments of the following texts:
- Georges Sorel, Rozważania o przemocy (fragments)
- Georges Sorel, Strajk proletariacki
- Georges Sorel, La Décomposition du Marxisme (English translation available)
- Georges Sorel, Złudzenia postępu
- Georges Sorel, La Revolution Dreyfusienne (English translation available)
- Curzio Malaparte, Zamach stanu
- Curzio Malaparte, Szczęśliwy dzień
- Carl Shmitt, Teologia polityczna i inne pisma (fragments)
- Carl Shmitt, Dyktatura
- Carl Shmitt, Pojęcie polityczności
- Carl Shmitt, Legalność i prawomocność (fragments)
- Carl Shmitt, Teoria partyzanta
- Ernst Jünger, Robotnik (fragments)
- Ernst Jünger, Publicystyka polityczna. 1019-1936 (fragments)
- Ernst Jünger, Węzeł gordyjski (fragmenty)
- Ernst Jünger, Na marmurowych skałach
- Ernst Jünger, Der Waldgang (English translation available)
- Martin Heidegger, W kwestii bycia
- Martin Heidegger, Schwarze Hefte (fragments, English translation available)
- Martin Heidegger, Samoutwierdzenie się niemieckiego uniwersytetu
- Martin Heidegger, Rektorat 1933/1934. Czyny i myśli
- Martin Heidegger, Tylko Bóg mógłby nas uratować
- Carl Gustav Jung, Wotan
- Carl Gustav Jung, Rozmowy, wywiady, spotkania
- Gottfried Benn, Nigdy samotniej i inne wiersze (fragments)
- Gottfried Benn, Czy poeta zmienia świat? Wybór esejów 1920-1953
- Gottfried Benn, Essays und Reden (fragments, English translation available)
- Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Al di là del Comunismo (English translation available)
- Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, L’Impero Italiano (English translation available)
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: