Overview

Since the 2016 election, politicians, historians, intellectuals, and media pundits have debated a startling question: Is fascism happening here? Some argue that fascism has arrived and, to grasp the challenge it poses, we must gain insight from Europe's past, lest American democracy succumb. But others question whether this Eurocentric notion truly reflects our political moment, or exemplifies a provincial American perspective on a much more complex global landscape. To illuminate the issues, this anthology offers key texts from the sharpest minds commenting on politics and history, past and present. Jumping off from classic pieces by Hannah Arendt, Angela Davis, Upton Sinclair, Reinhold Niebuhr, Leon Trotsky and others, Did It Happen Here? brings together the most insightful contributors to the contemporary discussion, from Samuel Moyn to Robin DG Kelley to Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Pankaj Mishra. The result is the go-to resource for every politically attuned reader worried about fascism and the politics of fear today.

Full Product Details

9781324074397

Table of Contents

Reviews

Bringing together classic texts and contemporary interventions, this important volume catalogues the diverse meanings and instantiations of fascism. The essays think our present anew by probing the uses and limits of historical analogy and urging a comparative and transnational approach.--Adom Getachew, author of Worldmaking after Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination In recent years, there is perhaps no other topic that has sparked spirited debate among academics, politicians, and journalists more than fascism. This sharp, timely, and capacious collection masterfully peels back the layers of fascism--closely analyzing its historical roots, shifting meanings, global dimensions, and enduring impact on American society. This is a valuable contribution to modern political thought.--Keisha N. Blain, co-editor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 The 'fascism debates' of the Trump era say less about fascism or right-wing politics than the fault lines that divide Trump's enemies on the liberal left. The Trump debate will fade, but the big questions explored in this thoughtfully curated volume will linger.--Matthew Karp, author of The Vast Southern Empire Going well beyond the question of who or what deserves to be called a fascist, this unparalleled collection provides an urgently needed examination of American democracy in critical condition.--Tara Zahra, author of Against the World Brimming with insights from classic texts and contemporary scholars alike, Did It Happen Here? is a must-read collection for anyone wondering and worrying about the state of American democracy.--Kevin M. Kruse, author of Fault Lines

Brimming with insights from classic texts and contemporary scholars alike, Did It Happen Here is a must-read collection for anyone wondering and worrying about the state of American democracy.--Kevin M. Kruse, Professor of History, Princeton University

"""Brimming with insights from classic texts and contemporary scholars alike, Did It Happen Here is a must-read collection for anyone wondering and worrying about the state of American democracy."" -- Kevin M. Kruse, Professor of History, Princeton University"

"""Brimming with insights from classic texts and contemporary scholars alike, Did It Happen Here is a must-read collection for anyone wondering and worrying about the state of American democracy."" -- Kevin M. Kruse, Professor of History, Princeton University ""Bringing together classic texts and contemporary interventions, this important volume catalogues the diverse meanings and instantiations of fascism. The essays think our present anew by probing the uses and limits of historical analogy and urging a comparative and translational approach. "" -- Adom Getachew, author of Worldmaking after Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination"

Author Information

Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins is an assistant professor of history and social theory in the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan University and runs a regular interview series at the Nation. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available