Unpacking loaded terms from the Interwar period

Nazis is a little bit harder I feel like, but fascism is like an ideology that you can easily have the kids use the definition of to decide whether they view things that are going on as fascist or not. You could even have like an "isms" lesson where they learn anarchism, fascism, socialism, communism, capitalism, authoritarianism, etc. and then have them apply them to different policies etc.

I get really explicit at the beginning of the unit that the words are used more casually in modern society, but that we are using them very specifically as historians to refer to a set of political practices that arose in the 1920's and 1930's and a political party in Germany during that time. I mention that although people often refer to fascism as a government that is overly controlling, fascism is, by definition a right-wing authoritarian movement, just like Stalinism is, by definition, a left-wing authoritarian movement.

Ideology is also our anchor term, so I hit hard after the What is Fascism video that fascism is more of a set of practices around gaining and consolidating power that reflects different ideologies to different audiences. I compare it to a virus as something that exists and can has an impact, but requires other cells (ideologies) to reproduce and spread.

Freda Anderson and Scott Gross , do either of you bring present-day connotations and references into the historical study of the terms?

I think it's contextually important to understand the historical definitions but also why people might be using them today. It's all very delicate...

I try to let my students lead the way on those discussions. They are very aware and have a lot to say. We will also be revisiting it when we get to the modern era and look at modern injustices.

That's been my instinct as well--let them go as far as they want to.

I was curious what other teachers do since I had a parent mildly critique me for not incorporating more current events into the class.