“He really looks like a James Bond villain”, historian Daniël Knegt jokes as a black-and-white photo of Mussolini appears on screen in a packed Erasmus Paviljoen. He has just started his lecture, organised by Studium Generale, with a slideshow of historical fascist figures and demonstrations.
The fascist multiverse
He explains that figures like Hitler and Mussolini, as well as symbols like the swastika, represent ‘the kind of fascism that people recognize immediately’. This visible fascism, he adds, carries strong moral weight. “Calling someone a fascist is almost immediately discrediting them, implying that they are morally wrong.”
Fascism, however, extends beyond these familiar images. Displaying images from films, video games, and memes, Knegt notes that ‘fascism is more present than ever in society’. “The Lion King was my introduction to fascism”, he adds, drawing a parallel between Scar’s hyena army and Nazi parades under Hitler.
Fascism today
“Fascists don’t need to wear leather boots and swastikas to be fascists”, Knegt continues. Behind him, images of Giorgia Meloni and Elon Musk raising their arms appear on screen. In his opinion, fascism still exists today, though in different forms. “Feel free to disagree with me”, he adds, encouraging students to voice their opinions.
As he invites students to ask questions, many hands arise from the audience. “Do you see an increase in the appeal of fascism among young people?”, asks a student. Knegt pauses for a minute, calling it an excellent question. He acknowledges that younger generations are further removed from the historical experience of fascism, making it less of a taboo. However, he also points out that many young people are voting for left-wing parties, showing that political tendencies are ‘moving in all kinds of directions’.
Censorship
Chiara, a master’s student in media, arrived early to secure a good seat. “I come from Italy, where fascism is part of our recent history”, she says. She’s concerned that her country might be heading in that direction again.
She notes parallels between Italy’s fascist past and current political trends, particularly in propaganda and censorship. “There are new developments as well. For example, journalists are silenced through lawsuits”, she explains, adding that the high legal costs often lead journalists to self-censorship.
Living in a bubble
After the lecture, recent graduates Peter and Tim continue discussing the topic. Tim, who’s Dutch and Romanian, explains that he no longer would feel safe living in Romania. “If not fascist, the Romanian government is authoritarian at least. I couldn’t openly date someone who isn’t a woman for example”, he says, adding that he also feels that Rotterdam isn’t as safe as it used to be. Peter, agreeing with him, adds that he feels ‘more tension‘ in the city.
“I come from a small village near Rotterdam. I can see how much we live in a big bubble here in the city”, says Tim. He observes that in his hometown, many people who once voted for centrist parties now support populist movements, which shows a shift towards more radical convictions. “I even know people who believe the Earth is flat and blame Black people for the country’s problems.”
