Did It Happen Here?
Perspectives on Fascism and America
Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:WW Norton & Co
Publishing:11th Feb '25
£13.99
This title is due to be published on 11th February, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£22.00(9781324074397)
Since the election of Donald Trump, politicians, historians, intellectuals, and media pundits have been faced with a startling and urgent question: Are we threatened by fascism? Some see striking connections between our current moment and the tumultuous interwar period in Europe. But others question if these connections really reflect our current political moment or if they are another example of Eurocentrism and American provincialism speaking over a much more complex global political landscape.?
Did It Happen Here? collects, in one place, key texts from the sharpest minds in politics, history, and the academy beginning with classic pieces by Hannah Arendt, Angela Davis, Reinhold Niebuhr, Leon Trotsky, and others. The book’s contemporary contributors include Ruth Ben-Ghiat on the trivialization of the term “fascism,” Jason Stanley and Sarah Churchwell on the Black radical perspective, and Robert O. Paxton on Trump. These writers argue firmly that fascism is alive and well in America today, but another set of contemporary voices disagree. Samuel Moyn demonstrates the limitations of historical comparison. Rebecca Panovka examines the uses and abuses of Hannah Arendt’s work. Anton Jager and Victoria De Grazia make the case that the social and communal conditions necessary for fascism do not exist in the United States. Still others, like Priya Satia and Pankaj Mishra, are critical of the narrow framework of this debate and argue for a global perspective.
Did it Happen Here? brings together a range of brilliant intellectuals, offering vital takes on our evolving political landscape. The questions posed by editor Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins is one that readers will be debating for decades to come. Is fascism significantly influencing—even threatening to dominate—modern American politics? Is it happening here?
"A valuable read for anyone hoping for more insight into the direction of the country." -- Jessica T. Matthews - Foreign Affairs
"Brimming with insights from classic texts and contemporary scholars alike, Did It Happen Here? is a must-read collection for anyone wondering and worrying about the state of American democracy." -- Kevin M. Kruse, professor of history, Princeton University
"Bringing together classic texts and contemporary interventions, this important volume catalogues the diverse meanings and instantiations of fascism. The essays think our present anew by probing the uses and limits of historical analogy and urging a comparative and translational approach." -- Adom Getachew, author of Worldmaking after Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination
"Going well beyond the question of who or what deserves to be called a fascist, this unparalleled collection provides an urgently needed examination of American democracy in critical condition." -- Tara Zahra, author of Against the World
"In recent years, there is perhaps no other topic that has sparked spirited debate among academics, politicians, and journalists. This sharp, timely, and capacious collection masterfully peels back the layers of fascism—closely analyzing its historical roots, shifting meanings, global dimensions, and enduring impact on American society. This is a valuable contribution to modern political thought." -- Keisha N. Blain, co-editor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619–2019
"The ‘fascism debates’ of the Trump era say less about fascism or right-wing politics than the fault lines that divide Trump’s enemies on the liberal left. What do we expect from American democracy, and what do we fear from it? The Trump debate will fade, but the big questions explored in this thoughtfully curated volume will linger." -- Matthew Karp, author of The Vast Southern Empire
"A timely collection of informed voices." -- Kirkus Reviews
ISBN: 9781324110590
Dimensions: 211mm x 140mm x 23mm
Weight: 309g
384 pages