Fascism is one of the pernicious forms of power that emerged in the 19th and 20th century and posed a serious to challenge democratic forms of life. The course will discuss the philosophical understanding of power, state, law, sovereignty and freedom with the special focus on gaining a conceptual grasp on fascism. Some of the classical and contemporary philosophers who have directly or indirectly contributed towards constructing the intellectual edifice of fascism will be studied. Philosophical criticisms of fascism and the ethical and political explorations of resistance and the possibility of alternative forms of power and governance will also be studied. The bio politics of fascism, its relationship with Nazism, racism and religious and other forms of fanaticism, and the aestheticization of politics will also be covered.
