The term 'fascism' is often invoked these days from voices on both the Left and the Right. Heather and Joanne start by defining the term and and have a conversation firmly rooted in history, from the proto-fascism of Southern enslavement, to the fascist playbooks established by Mussolini and Hitler, to the current risks for the normalization of fascist ideology and tropes in the United States.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/fascism-meanings-and-methods/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices