Anti-fascism and the Traditions of the Resistance

This chapter examines how ideas of the period of the anti-fascist resistance have influenced current antiracist discourse. It begins by reviewing the responses of antiracist organisations to the perceived threat of fascism since the war, and describes the emergence of new anti-fascist groups. A central characteristic of anti-fascism, shared by anti-racism, is the importance attached to mass mobilisations. The chapter discusses &s;Popular Frontism&s; and the broad, popular, public demonstrations which assert the anti-fascist control of the streets. It examines the theme of solidarity, &s;entr&s;aide&s; and the role of specific defence groups in anti-fascism. The next strand is education, the appeal to reason and the importance of work on memory. The chapter then describes the activities of contemporary antiracists in exposing negationism and relate this to a wider, hegemonic, project of antiracist education. Obtaining and communicating information became extremely important at a time when normal political activity had been suspended.

Biology · Resistance (ecology) · Ecology · History · Italian Fascism and Post-war Society