The Dig Fascist Police State w/ Alberto Toscano and Stuart Schrader
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Sep 18, 2025 
Alberto Toscano, a scholar of fascism and political theory, pairs with Stuart Schrader, a historian focused on policing and counterinsurgency, to explore the impact of Trump's intensified policing strategies on American society. They discuss the disturbing trend of federal-centralized law enforcement following 9/11 and the politicization of ICE as a tool of repression. The guests also analyze the carceral roots of fascization, connecting historical accounts of policing with contemporary authoritarian practices, revealing a chilling vision of America's governance.
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Decentralization To Federalized Policing
- U.S. policing has historically resisted federal centralization but shifted after the end of the Cold War and especially after 9/11.
- Resources and expertise flowed from Washington to local police, creating a jerry-rigged national security policing system.
Politicized Policing As Authoritarian Tool
- Integration and coordination of police forces can signal authoritarian consolidation even if institutions remain polyarchic.
- Politicizing ICE and presenting federal agents as instruments of executive will intensifies ideological repression.
Carceral Roots Of U.S. Fascism Theory
- Black radical thinkers located fascism within carceral spaces where civic life is absent.
- Prisons and police were seen as seedbeds of authoritarian power long before recent debates.
