The effect of fascism on children as represented in the popular culture of Spain and Italy

Abstract

Popular culture can be used as a viable alternative representation of historical periods as opposed to mainstream factual texts. Indeed, in the context of the Spanish and Italian twentieth century fascist periods, popular culture in the form of comics, literature and film depicts how the people of these countries, in particular the children were affected. In this thesis I highlight how popular culture portrays how education systems were manipulated by governments during fascism and how children were displaced, and their family life disrupted. I argue that popular culture has the ability to express the feelings of fear and trauma and the corruption of childhood innocence caused by the fascist regimes. Finally, while dealing with the memory of these periods for children can be difficult as they grow up, I demonstrate how popular culture provides an accessible creative outlet for previously suppressed memories.