 | Histories of Fascism and Anti-Fascism in Australia Subjects: Humanities; Politics & International Relations; Social Sciences; Comparative Politics; History; Government; Political Philosophy; Sociology & Social Policy; World/ International History; Contemporary History 1945-; Political History; Political Parties; Fascism & Nazism; Race & Ethnic Studies; Histories of Fascism and Anti-Fascism in Australia provides a history of fascist movements and anti-fascist resistance in Australia over the last century. In recent years, the far right has become a resurgent force across the globe, resulting in populist parties securing electoral victories, social movements organising on the streets, and acts of right-wing terrorism. Australia has not been immune to this. However, this is not merely a recent phenomenon; it has a long history of fascist and far-right groups and individuals. These groups have attempted to situate themselves within the wider settler colonial political landscape, often portraying themselves as the inheritors of a violent and exclusionary colonial past. Concurrently, these groups have linked into globalised anti-communist and white supremacist networks. At the same time, Australia has often seen resistance to fascism and the far right, from the political centre to the far left. Covering the period from the 1920s to the present day, and featuring insights from historians, sociologists, and political scientists, this book provides the most detailed account of this fascinating and important topic. This book will be of interest to students and activists with an interest in the extreme right and anti-fascism as well as Australian history, politics, and society. Evan Smith is a Lecturer in History in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Flinders University in South Australia. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow with the School of Humanities at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Jayne Persian is a historian, predominantly of Central and Eastern Europe displaced persons, many of whom migrated to Australia in the post-war period. She is Co-Chief Investigator on a 2022-25 ARC Discovery Project: Russian Immigrants and Anti-Communism in Cold War Australia, 1946-1966. Vashti Jane Fox is a PhD Student at the University of Western Australia. She writes on the history of antifascism in Australia in the post-WW2 period. She is also a socialist activist and an antifascist agitator. |
