Banal Fascism Online: Weaponizing the “Everyday” for Extreme Ends offers a novel lens through which to research, conceptualize, and understand fascism and its place in today’s political culture. It allows space for its authors to explore fascism as it exists in the digital world, outside the rigid boundaries of historically-recognized fascist states. The digital seeps into every avenue of the political and social, and thus offers a useful framing for analyzing the inherent banality of fascism. Specifically, this edited volume considers the different ways the digital world supports and structures our political and social identities: How do social media and online fora create spaces for extremist values that are perceived as mundane? What technological affordances provide fascist thought leaders access to – and influence over – various audiences? Which platforms offer the most comprehensive opportunities for anti-democratic political strategizing? As the United States and much of Europe continue to see their democratic institutions come under attack by rising fascist and authoritarian movements, this volume provides an indispensable examination of the ways fascism has not only increased in its mainstreaming and palatability, but also how it has always been integral to our societies. This groundbreaking framework and the chapters evidencing its utility offer a tangible means of identifying and ultimately combating fascist structures. As a result of the strategic deployment of banal fascism across the globe, this volume will appeal to academics, students, politicians, journalists, and anyone concerned about the precarity of liberal democracy and its potential replacement with, at best, illiberal democracy and, at worst, fascism.
