1st Edition
Importing Fascism The Italian Community’s Fascist Experience in Interwar Scotland
Importing Fascism analyses the mechanisms of the Italian fascist regime in incorporating the Italian-Scottish diaspora into their nation- and fascism-building project via its transnational efforts between the rise of fascism in 1922 and Italy’s declaration of war on Britain in June 1940.
Drawing extensively on a range of unpublished Italian and British sources from local and national archives as well as original contemporary press, the book reconstructs minutely the activities of the fasci in Scotland and demonstrates the impact fascism had on forging Italians’ community and national identity. Moreover, by shedding light on this largely neglected chapter of the history of fascism and Scotland’s Italian diaspora, the monograph offers new points of reflection on long-standing issues of cultural, political and propaganda activity under the regime.
This volume is ideal for postgraduate students and scholars of fascism, modern Italian and British history and diaspora studies.
Introduction 1. ‘Fish friers and ice cream sellers’. The Italian community in Scotland from its origins until the First World War 2. ‘A beautiful day’. The fasci in Scotland and their founders 3. ‘Active fascism’. Fascist ‘social’ activities in Scotland 4. ‘Fascist Italy is with you’. Fascist political activities in Scotland 5. ‘The army of tomorrow’. Fascism and Italian-Scottish children 6. ‘A mission of love’. The Italian-Scots and the Ethiopian war 7. ‘Spitting at the Duce’s face’. Anti-fascism in Scotland Conclusion
Biography
Remigio Petrocelli was awarded a PhD in History at the University of Dundee in 2023. His main research interests are in fascism, Italian and British contemporary history and diaspora studies. His previous publications include articles on fascism, Italian-Scottish migration and identity history in prestigious Italian and British journals.
