Jason Stanley, an American philosopher and Yale professor, delves into how authoritarian regimes manipulate historical narratives to gain power. He discusses the alarming trend of educational repression and the political risks teachers face today. From the rise of fascism to the complex relationship between historical representation and colonialism, Stanley emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives in academia. He warns against complacency and encourages active resistance to harmful narratives that threaten democracy and educational integrity.
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insights INSIGHT
Core Pillars of Fascism
Fascism fosters a cult of a strong leader who promises national restoration against perceived threats from minorities and immigrants.
It manipulates narratives about a mythic past, dominant group victimhood, and sexual anxiety to control and unify followers.
insights INSIGHT
Education's Role in Fascism
Fascists target schools and universities early to reshape ideology and suppress critical inquiry.
Education is key to either spreading or resisting fascist narratives and propaganda.
insights INSIGHT
Fear and Historical Erasure
Fascism thrives on fear generated by portraying minority groups as threats.
Recognizing minority histories and perspectives weakens fascist efforts by reducing fear and division.
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How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future
Jason Stanley
In *Erasing History*, Jason Stanley exposes the true danger of the authoritarian right’s attacks on education, identifying their key tactics and funders, and tracing their intellectual roots. He illustrates how fears of a fascist future have become a present reality, with hearts and minds being won in schools and universities. Stanley shows how democratic societies are ill-prepared to defend against these fascist assaults, which aim to erase historical memory and critical inquiry. The book is a global call to action to preserve democracy by understanding and combating these authoritarian efforts.
How Fascism Works
The Politics of Us and Them
Jason Stanley
In this book, Jason Stanley identifies and analyzes the ten pillars of fascist politics, which include exploiting a mythic version of a nation’s past, using propaganda to twist democratic ideals, promoting anti-intellectualism, and implementing law and order policies that target minority groups. Stanley draws on historical and contemporary examples from various countries, including the United States, Hungary, Poland, India, and Myanmar, to illustrate how these tactics create and reinforce divisions and make societies vulnerable to authoritarian leadership. The book emphasizes the importance of recognizing and resisting these fascist politics to protect democratic values.
American philosopher Jason Stanley is the author of Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future. For this episode, Jason helps us understand some of the attacks on educational institutes at home and abroad and how authoritarian movements purposefully repress and reject historical truths in favor of a different narrative that benefits their attempts at grabbing more and more power away from the people.
American Hysteria 
