The workshop will look on Soviet socialism, Italian Fascism and Kemalism in Turkey in a comparative way by analysing the historical relationship between them, but not by equating them. At the first glance, the differences regarding traditions, culture, religion, political system as well as the respective economic and social developments are striking.
However, there seem to be sufficient reasons to look closer on what these regimes might have in common.The workshop will focus on three main questions:
1. Was there a modernization crisis since the late 19th century and how was it perceived by the elite of the new regimes?
2. What was the impact of war and violence on the emergence of the new regimes?
3. Is "modernizing dictatorship" a suitable characterization for these regimes?