Italy has often been portrayed as a failed nation with weak democratic credentials. Yet its history also anticipated pan-European or global political trends. Italy produced the first Fascist regime with Mussolini, and anticipated Donald Trump with the first populist government in the post-war era under Silvio Berlusconi. Is there anything peculiar about Italy's controversial history? This module will attempt to answer that question by exploring the history of Italy from the destructive impact of WWI on Italian society to the rise of Berlusconi. Students will develop an understanding of ethical and political issues arising from modes of representation, and an informed awareness of global issues.
