Fascist Heritage: legacies of Mussolini's Italy

Aims of the course

• To introduce participants to the heritage of fascism.
• To encourage participants to think critically and creatively about heritage and how this can be manipulated by dictatorial regimes.
• To enable participants to work collaboratively with their peers to further the understanding and presentation of this period.

Course content overview

Dictators and authoritarian leaders have always relied extensively on art, architecture and culture as a powerful way to deliver their ideology. The Italian fascist dictatorship is no exception, but how were art and architecture used to work as constant reminder of the will of the leader? This online course will explore how heritage sites connected to Mussolini’s life and period of rule are places with legacies that are difficult for Italians to deal with today. As many sites were the material representation of fascist beliefs and values, this course will examine the narrative behind these ‘reminders’ and think through why these sites are still problematic today.  

Target audience

This course will be of interest to participants interested in archaeology, history, conservation, heritage management, political studies, ethics, historic environment, architecture, etc. No previous knowledge of the subject is required.

Welcome week (Week 0)

Purpose:

• personal introductions
• introducing the course
• useful reading
• personal objectives

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, the students should have: 

• become familiar with navigating around the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and from VLE to links and back
• test your ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sort out any problems with the help of the Technology Enhanced Learning team
• learn how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
• contribute to a discussion forum to introduce yourself to other students and discuss why you are interested in the course and what you hope to get out of your studies 

Teaching Week 1: A general introduction to Italian fascist heritage

Learning outcome: 

• this week will introduce the relationship between heritage and fascist regime, in particular how Mussolini relied on Culture as a powerful ideological tool. Participants will gain an understanding of the material legacies of fascism and of how propaganda works

Teaching Week 2: Fascist heritage in Rome and key case studies

Learning outcome: 

• mussolini had a very special relationship with the city of Rome, he hated and loved the city at the same time. This week we will explore why Rome and the myth of Rome were so important for propaganda and how Mussolini used art and architecture to leave an enduring legacy.
• participants will gain a  basic understanding of how Roman antiquities have been used by the regime for political gain; an overview of the main fascist sites in Rome; an understanding of the importance of contemporary debate over contested monuments

Teaching Week 3: Difficult heritage and the legacies of the regime

Learning outcome:

• this week will look at what the term ‘Difficult Heritage’ means, what are its political implications in light of the contemporary debate over contested monuments, and what the different positions are on this topic
• participants will gain an understanding of what makes heritage ‘difficult’ and what this means when referred to fascist heritage

Teaching Week 4: Mussolini's home at Villa Torlonia in Rome

Learning outcome:

• this week will look at Mussolini’s villa in Rome, how the place has changed from the post-war to present day , and how the site is currently presented to the public
• participants will gain an understanding of the different issues that emerge in presenting a difficult site to the public

Teaching Week 5: Mussolini's birth and resting place in Predappio

Learning outcome:

• Mussolini’s birth and resting place in Predappio is a difficult heritage site in the post-war period. It has become a neo-fascist pilgrimage site.  This week will discuss the dangers of heritage sites like Predappio and possible ways to address the various issues
• participants will gain an understanding of the perils of fascist sites to turn into neo-fascist sites of memory and how to deal with them

Week 6: what next?

• assessment of student learning
• assessment of student satisfaction
• encouragement of further study

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.  

Our short courses are designed especially for adult learners who want to advance their personal or professional development. They are taught by tutors who are expert in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences. 

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language to get the maximum benefit from the course. 

Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours of self-study time, for example, reading materials, although this will vary from person to person. 

While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material). 

Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the VLE so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (using discussion boards etc).

Fees

The course fee includes access to the course on our VLE, personal feedback on your work from an expert tutor, a certificate of participation (if you complete work and take part in discussions), and access to the class resources for two years after your course finishes. 

Concessions

For more information, please see our concessions information page. 

Alison Fordham Bursary

University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education is proud to offer the Alison Fordham bursary, which is awarded to students who wish to study on one of our short online courses via our VLE, reducing the fee paid by 50%. The bursary is limited to a single award for each set of online courses. 

Application criteria:  

• applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study
• applicants who can demonstrate financial need 

For more information, please see our bursaries information page.

A certificate of participation and a digital credential will be awarded to those who contribute constructively to weekly discussions, exercises and assignments for the duration of the course.