Wednesday, April 17, 2024

IMPORTANT NEW BOOKS:

Fascism on Trial: Education and the Possibility of Democracy
by Henry A. Giroux and Anthony Dimaggio
Bloomsbury Academic,  2024

[Publication date: February 22, 2024]

This book interrogates rising fascism in America. It spotlights the major facets of fascism that increasingly characterize contemporary US politics, in relation to political authoritarianism, the rise of anti-intellectualism, the mainstreaming of conspiracy theories, the glorification of political street violence and state violence, rising white supremacy, and the militarization of US political discourse. Alongside this, Giroux and DiMaggio show how the assault on critical education and pedagogy is central to the fascist program. They stress the importance of reprioritizing education as a public good to combating fascist politics and ideology and draw links between fascism and the banning of books in schools, whitewashing history, and punishing policies aimed at Black, Brown, and transgender youth. They challenge the commonly embraced notion that Trumpism is primarily a function of economic insecurity within his support base, documenting how support for the former president primarily centered on reactionary socio-cultural values and white supremacy. They also show how white supremacist values are central to the Trump base defending the January 6th insurrection, despite academics, journalists, and political officials in both major parties ignoring the threat of rising white nationalism.

REVIEWS:

“With the world burning and flooding and the political system unraveling, with wars on the rise and many displaced due to storms and violence, with politicians holding our finances and intellectual freedoms hostage, unable to act to reduce hardship or build towards peace, many may feel alone and isolated. Giroux and Dimaggio teach us that this is not so. With insight and anger, Giroux and Dimaggio guide us along the path to continued critical thought and ongoing organizing in the face of attacks on democracy. An essential, hard-hitting intervention! A powerful rallying call!!” ―Robin Goodman, Professor of English, Florida State University, USA

“A powerful weapon for free-thinking intellectuals at a time when fascistic education and the organized assault on critical thinking have taken on increasingly dangerous dimensions. Giroux and DiMaggio's oppositional brilliance and lifelong dedication to essential human justice have never wavered with the years and are on display again.” ―Jonathan Kozol, author of "Death at an Early Age", "Savage Inequalities", and (forthcoming) "An End to Inequality"

“A spectre is haunting the United States, and its name is fascism. Giroux and DiMaggio explain why. But most importantly, they warn us that our future will be bleak unless we recognize the fascist threat and organize not just to stop it but to build a world worth living in.” ―Michael D. Yates, Director of Monthly Review Press, author of "Can the Working Class Change the World?"

“Giroux and DiMaggio masterfully explain rising U.S. fascism, gangster capitalism, and the embrace of white supremacy and authoritarianism. A must-read for all who seek to understand the frightening ramifications of the rightwing assault on democracy” ―Marjorie Cohn, Professor Emerita, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, USA

“With the rise and blind acceptance of authoritarian tendencies, the increasing normality of uncivil political discourse, the utter perversion of objective truth, and the warped threat of religious nationalism, this book is a wise, thoughtful-megaphone necessarily in hand-heralding call to the U.S. in particular, to the world in general-to wake up, before it is too late.” ―James D. Kirylo, Professor of Curriculum Theory, Critical Pedagogy, & Literacy, University of South Carolina, USA

“This timely book investigates how fascist ideology has taken root in American culture and how urgently we need to ponder its repercussions in an age where deception and alternate-reality reasoning are common tactics for deploying necropolitical technologies worldwide. The attack on critical pedagogy engendered by fascism compels us, critical educators, to reorient ourselves in such a way as to reprioritize education as a public good to oppose fascist politics and ideology, as advocated by Giroux and DiMaggio.” ―Débora B. A. Junker, Associate Professor of Critical Pedagogies, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, USA

“In an era marked by increasing political polarization, rising authoritarianism, and the erosion of democratic values, this book serves as a crucial resource for educators, academics, and anyone concerned with the future of our societies. By exploring the complex intersections between fascism and education, Giroux and DiMaggio challenge us to critically examine the ways in which fascism shapes ideologies and infiltrates institutions, often subtly and deceptively.” ―Charles L. Lowery, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Virginia Tech, USA

 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:


Henry A. Giroux holds the Chair for Scholarship in the Public Interest in English and Cultural Studies at McMaster University, Canada. His books include On Critical Pedagogy, 2nd Edition (2020), Race, Politics, and Pandemic Pedagogy (2021), Pedagogy of Resistance (2022) and Insurrections (2023).
 
Anthony R. DiMaggio is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Lehigh University. He has published eleven books emphasizing American politics, global conflicts, social movements, inequality, and political communication. He is the recipient of the Class of 1961 faculty award at Lehigh University for excellence in teaching and research. 
 
 
 
 
The Wannabe Fascists: A Guide to Understanding the Greatest Threat to Democracy
by Federico Finchelstein
University of California Press, 2024
 
[Pubication date:  May 14, 2024]
 
Meet today's almost fascists and learn the warning signs to intercept them on the road from populism to dictatorship.
 
With 
The Wannabe Fascists, historian Federico Finchelstein offers a precise explanation of why Trumpism and similar movements across the world belong to a new political breed, the last outcome of the combined histories of fascism and populism: the wannabe fascists. This new type of populist politician is typically a legally elected leader who, unlike previous populists who were eager to distance themselves from fascism, turns to totalitarian lies, racism, and illegal means to destroy democracy from within.

Drawing on almost three decades of research on the histories of fascism and populism around the world, this book lays out in clear language what the author calls the "four pillars of fascism"—xenophobia, propaganda, political violence, and ultimately dictatorship. Finchelstein carefully explains how and why wannabe fascists like Trump, Bolsonaro, and Modi embrace the first three pillars but don't quite succeed in dictatorship and total suppression of the popular vote.
The Wannabe Fascists stresses the importance of preventing despots from reaching this tipping point and offers a clear warning for what's at stake.
 
REVIEWS:
 
"An important book about the most significant threat to global democracy." ― Kirkus Reviews

"Exploring the histories and ideologies of fascism and populism, The Wannabe Fascists exposes a new political force on the rise that blends the two—a danger to democracy everywhere." ― Foreword Reviews 

From the Back Cover:

"Federico Finchelstein's timely and carefully argued book unpacks the differences between fascism and populism and argues that many populists in the US, Europe, and Latin America are increasingly using violence, propaganda, xenophobia, and styles of self-presentation in ways that recall historic fascism and classic dictatorship."—Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present

"The Wannabe Fascists is a brilliant and provocative book of interest to those who want to learn how to defend democracy from fascist nightmares."—Carlos de la Torre, author of Populisms and Director of the Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida

"Finchelstein is a leading figure in right-wing studies and offers us a new concept that is clever and very relevant in our contemporary political context."—Mabel Berezin, author of Making the Fascist Self and Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences in Sociology, Director of the Institute for European Studies, Cornell University

"Finchelstein, who is one of the world's leading experts on both fascism and populism, is essential reading for the times in which we live."—Times Literary Supplement 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Federico Finchelstein is a world-renowned expert on fascism, populism, and dictatorship and is Professor of History at the New School for Social Research and Eugene Lang College in New York City. His previous books include From Fascism to Populism in History and A Brief History of Fascist Lies.