Abstract

This essay traces the birth and development of gender history in relation to specific studies on fascism, focusing in particular on George L. Mosse's pioneering work, the new acquisitions in the history of masculinity, and the theoretical reflections of feminist thought and its impact on women's history. The intent is to critically analyze this now increasingly rich historiographical output, while seeking to understand how investigation of the relationship between fascism and gender identity has changed in accordance with the dominant paradigms over the past thirty years. What emerges is a more articulated image of the fascist man and woman, but also of the Regime's relationship with modernity and tradition.