What is Fascism? Introduction to Speech Act Theory

I look at J.L. Austin and an introduction to Speech Act Theory – a linguistic phenomenology that argues that when we use language we don’t just describe the world but are also doing something in describing the world. I use Austin’s idea of performatives and performativity to look at the idea of Fascism, a notoriously difficult concept to define. What’s going on when we use the phrase? Looking at a few definitions, including a famous one in UR-Fascism by Umberto Eco and Roger Griffin’s ‘Palingenetic ultranationalism’, I try to find out. Then & Now is FAN-FUNDED! Support me on Patreon and pledge as little as $1 per video: http://patreon.com/user?u=3517018 Or send me a one-off tip of any amount and help me make more videos: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=JJ76W4CZ2A8J2 Buy on Amazon through this link to support the channel: https://amzn.to/2ykJe6L Follow me on: Facebook: http://fb.me/thethenandnow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thethenandnow/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lewlewwaller Sources: Quentin Skinner, Visions of Politics Umberto Eco, Ur-Fascism Roger, Eatwell, Towards a New Model of Generic Fascism DOI: 10.1177/0951692892004002003 Journal of Theoretical Politics 1992 4: 161 J.L. Austin, IEP, https://www.iep.utm.edu/austin/ J.L. Austin, How to do Things with Words. Eliah Bures, ‘Don’t Call Trump a Fascist’, FP, https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/11/02/donald-trump-fascist-nazi-right-wing/