Reactionary Authoritarianism: From Mussolini to the ‘New Right’ – Winter 2026

If you want to understand today’s political chaos, you must look beyond today’s headlines. The “New Right”—and modern reactionary authoritarianism more broadly—did not arise in a vacuum. It is the consequence of centuries’ worth of ideas opposed to reason, individualism, and freedom. Following the descent from anti-Enlightenment philosophy to the stories now confronting us, you’ll develop a rare perspective on modern reactionaries, in all their guises and variations. Explore the ideas of reactionary thinkers who revolted against the modern world. See how their spores germinated to become Mussolini’s fascism, Hitler’s National Socialism, and the chorus of apologists who spurred their countries to the usual conclusion of all tyrannies: war. Navigate the defeat of fascism—and its re-emergence in the doctrines, policies, and practices of some of today’s leading politicians, the world over. If you take seriously today’s assaults on reason, individualism, and freedom—if you want to be able to raise your voice above the din and provide historically and philosophically rooted clarity on today’s menacing political issues—this course is for you.