Enemy of the New Man: Homosexuality in Fascist Italy (George L. Mosse Series in the History of European Culture, Sexuality, and Ideas) - Hardcover

"An important book for the insight it yields, not only into the history of homosexuality in modern Italy, but into key aspects of the fascist project: its cult of virility and accompanying misogyny; its obsession with 'strengthening the race'; its complicated relationship with the Catholic Church and the Italian bourgeoisie; its repressive tendencies; and, above all, the horizons and limits of its totalitarian aspirations."--Journal of Contemporary History "This translation of Lorenzo Benadusi's weighty study . . . is a welcome addition to the growing body of scholarship on dissident sexualities in Italy."--The Historian "The study is incredibly rich in information thanks to Benadusi's sustained archival research. . . . Its main strengths are the breadth of its scope--both in range of issues tackled and in chronological reach--and the detail provided."--Historian Journal "A brilliant, luminously eloquent study of the unique nature of Italian fascism's efforts to manage masculinity, homo- and heterosexual alike, but also much more than that. Breathtaking in the scope of its source materials and the acuity of its analyses, The Enemy of the New Man advances the history of Catholicism and the comparative history of fascism, and above all offers numerous insights into how post-liberal and totalitarian systems work through sexual politics."--Dagmar Herzog, author of Sexuality in Europe: A Twentieth-Century History "The Enemy of the New Man offers many rare insights into Mussolini's totalitarian 'experiment' in actively shaping the laws and cultural codes that regulated gender and sexuality during the Fascist period in Italy. Benadusi goes well below the surface rhetoric about the virility of the Fascist 'New Man, ' offering an important new understanding of actual practices of sexual repression during the Fascist period and the specific legal and punitive measures elaborated for the regimentation of the sexual lives of Italians. It is a book that takes many risks and offers significant rewards."--Patrick Rumble, author of Allegories of Contamination An important book for the insight it yields, not only into the history of homosexuality in modern Italy, but into key aspects of the fascist project: its cult of virility and accompanying misogyny; its obsession with strengthening the race; its complicated relationship with the Catholic Church and the Italian bourgeoisie; its repressive tendencies; and, above all, the horizons and limits of its totalitarian aspirations. Journal of Contemporary History " This translation of Lorenzo Benadusi s weighty study . . . is a welcome addition to the growing body of scholarship on dissident sexualities in Italy. The Historian " The study is incredibly rich in information thanks to Benadusi s sustained archival research. . . . Its main strengths are the breadth of its scope both in range of issues tackled and in chronological reach and the detail provided. Historian Journal " A brilliant, luminously eloquent study of the unique nature of Italian fascism's efforts to manage masculinity, homo- and heterosexual alike, but also much more than that. Breathtaking in the scope of its source materials and the acuity of its analyses, The Enemy of the New Man advances the history of Catholicism and the comparative history of fascism, and above all offers numerous insights into how post-liberal and totalitarian systems work through sexual politics. Dagmar Herzog, author of Sexuality in Europe: A Twentieth-Century History " The Enemy of the New Man offers many rare insights into Mussolini s totalitarian experiment in actively shaping the laws and cultural codes that regulated gender and sexuality during the Fascist period in Italy. Benadusi goes well below the surface rhetoric about the virility of the Fascist New Man, offering an important new understanding of actual practices of sexual repression during the Fascist period and the specific legal and punitive measures elaborated for the regimentation of the sexual lives of Italians. It is a book that takes many risks and offers significant rewards. Patrick Rumble, author of Allegories of Contamination " A brilliant, luminously eloquent study of the unique nature of Italian fascism's efforts to manage masculinity, homo- and heterosexual alike, but also much more than that. Breathtaking in the scope of its source materials and the acuity of its analyses, "The Enemy of the New Man" advances the history of Catholicism and the comparative history of fascism, and above all offers numerous insights into how post-liberal and totalitarian systems work through sexual politics. Dagmar Herzog, author of "Sexuality in Europe: A Twentieth-Century History"" "The Enemy of the New Man" offers many rare insights into Mussolini s totalitarian experiment in actively shaping the laws and cultural codes that regulated gender and sexuality during the Fascist period in Italy. Benadusi goes well below the surface rhetoric about the virility of the Fascist New Man, offering an important new understanding of actual practices of sexual repression during the Fascist period and the specific legal and punitive measures elaborated for the regimentation of the sexual lives of Italians. It is a book that takes many risks and offers significant rewards. Patrick Rumble, author of "Allegories of Contamination"" "A brilliant, luminously eloquent study of the unique nature of Italian fascism's efforts to manage masculinity, homo- and heterosexual alike, but also much more than that. Breathtaking in the scope of its source materials and the acuity of its analyses, "The Enemy of the New Man" advances the history of Catholicism and the comparative history of fascism, and above all offers numerous insights into how post-liberal and totalitarian systems work through sexual politics."--Dagmar Herzog, author of "Sexuality in Europe: A Twentieth-Century History" ""The Enemy of the New Man" offers many rare insights into Mussolini's totalitarian 'experiment' in actively shaping the laws and cultural codes that regulated gender and sexuality during the Fascist period in Italy. Benadusi goes well below the surface rhetoric about the virility of the Fascist 'New Man, ' offering an important new understanding of actual practices of sexual repression during the Fascist period and the specific legal and punitive measures elaborated for the regimentation of the sexual lives of Italians. It is a book that takes many risks and offers significant rewards."--Patrick Rumble, author of "Allegories of Contamination"