"The Perfect Fascist" (Harvard University Press, 2020) tells the story of Attilio Teruzzi, an Italian army officer who became a commander of the Blackshirts and a colonial administrator under Mussolini. The book analyzes, through Teruzzi's career and personal history, the inner workings of Italian fascism. It also explores the issues of ultra-nationalism, strong men, and racial conflict, which remain sadly relevant in today's political discourse.
00:00:13 Welcome Remarks - Adam Tooze
00:06:50 Presentation - Victoria de Grazia
00:37:50 Comments - Alexander Stille
00:46:15 Comments - Susan Pedersen
00:52:55 Comments - Rachel Donadio
00:58:38 Q&A
Panelists
- Victoria de Grazia (author), Moore Collegiate Professor of History, Columbia University
- Rachel Donadio, Contributing Writer, The Atlantic
- Susan Pedersen, Morris Professor of British History, Columbia University
- Alexander Stille, San Paolo Professor of International Journalism, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University
Moderator
- Adam Tooze, Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Professor of History and Director of the European Institute, Columbia University
Sponsored by the European Institute, the Department of History, the Department of Italian, the Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America, and the Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities.