Futurism and Politics: Between Anarchist Rebellion and Fascist Reaction, 1909-1944 [Hardcover]

Gunter Berghaus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1996 | ISBN-10: 1571818677 | ISBN-13: 978-1571818676

"Futurism was the state of the Fascist regime" - this is the view one encounters in most books written on Futurist art and literature. Whilst there can be no doubt about Futurist involvement with the founding of the fascist movement, little is known about the internal relationship between Futurists and Fascists in the years 1918-22, nor about the reasons for the Futurists' departure from the Fascist movement in 1920, or about Futurist opposition to (and even armed struggle against) the Fascist regime after 1924. Whilst the public documents testifying to Futurist support of Mussolini are well known, little has been written about Futurist anti-fascism camouflaged as official adherence to the regime. This study, based primarily on unknown or unpublished documents discovered in state archives and private collections, presents a new andfar more complex picture of the relationship of the two movements than has previously been shown by critics and historians.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"... the story Berghaus relates is both fascinating and informative. The evidence he presents raises important questions for artistic and cultural historiography, and not only with regards to Futurism; the work also offers a case study for debates on avant-gardism and modernity." * Art History "... important and ambitious ... the book combines the qualities of a wide-ranging synthesis with a concern for precise detail ... [The] clearr, concise and usually very well-contextualized narrative ... highly recommend the book to the undergraduate or the reader with general knowledge of Futurism, while the extensive notes with their rich documentation of sources contribute to making it a very valuable source of information for the scholar." * Italian Studies "... one of the best researched and most original pieces of writing on the subject for years." * Roger Griffin, Oxford Brookes University "... its combination of highly original and thorough archival research with keen analysis willinterest anyone who studies futurism and/or fascism and culture." * Walter L. Adamson, Emory University

About the Author

Gunter Berghaus received his Ph.D. in Theatre Studies and his Habilitation from the Free University of Berlin; he taught at the University of London and now holds a Readership in Theatre History and Performance Studies at the University of Bristol.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 326 pages
• Publisher: Berghahn Books (February 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571818677
• ISBN-13: 978-1571818676
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,228,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Researched with Generous Endnotes, February 3, 2005

By 

Bryan Loar - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Futurism and Politics: Between Anarchist Rebellion and Fascist Reaction, 1909-1944 (Hardcover)

Dr. Berghaus, of Bristol University, has written and has been the chief editor of many volumes regarding Futurism. Futurism and Politics, in my opinion, is his best work. He very successfully sets the stage for the Futurist programme, and he gives a highly nuanced account of the tumultous events thereafter.