Suchergebnisse

This article analyses the relationship between history and the social sciences. Historians and social scientists were long regarded as separate or even opposite in their methodological and analytical approaches. The opening of the historians' ranks towards the social sciences became strongly apparent between the two world wars when the group of historians associated with the journal «Les Annales» set out to replace the «traditionally oriented narrative of events» by a «problem-oriented analytical history». The 1980s were also the time when the «linguistic turn» spread to the historical studies, paving the way for cooperation with other subjects, but also complicating relations with some sectors of the social sciences. Social and political phenomena have a historical dimension which needs to be reckoned with. Collaboration presupposes recognising the respective scientific premises, and not falling into methodological monism.

Twisted Roots. Intellectuals, Mass Culture and Political Culture in Italy The article examines the rise of mass culture in Italy from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. It particularly analyses the literary production, politically organised cultural offering as well as the role of the intellectuals. Despite the high illiteracy rate (until the beginning of the twentieth century higher than in other countries), different mass-cultural spheres developed throughout Western Europe. The socialist and Catholic communities decisively contributed to this development. With the help of their own publications and distribution channels as well as libraries, they encouraged the population to read. Simultaneously, intellectuals and writers with precarious social situations hoped for new fields of activity in the emerging cultural industries. The gap between these expectations and modern reality led many of these observers to criticise massculture. In some cases, it even led to political radicalisation and rapprochement with the fascist movement.

"The article analyses the relationship between populism and fascism. The author argues that fascism cannot be considered a populist ideology or a populist movement. Nevertheless, populist elements can be found in the fascist political discourse. The article analyses four points in fascist ideology and propaganda, comparing them with populist features: the appeal to the people as a form of legitimation, rural ideology, resentment against the bourgeoisie in the Tate thirties and the way Mussolini's image was represented. The article demonstrates that populist elements played an important role at the beginning, advertising the movement among the people. After the fascists seized power, populism still featured in regime propaganda, but in a more manipulative role." (author's abstract)