Violence and Fascism: Italian Armed Forces in the Age of Global Security.

The name of Paul Ponsaers can be associated with a number of topics. Nevertheless, police studies represent the ‘natural’ field for debating Paul Ponsaers’ contribution to social sciences. However, one should not neglect the aversion of Ponsaers to fascism – above all, when fascists hide themselves within the armed forces of a nation. The present essay recognizes both these passions and aversions, and provides some clues on the present condition of Italy regarding violence and authoritarian ideologies in the military and the police force. The author lists the most recent cases of institutional racist and fascist violence, and suggests that they are the outcome of a profound authoritarian educational ideal which contains many of the elements of the famous Fascist Scale proposed by Adorno, and the sign of the political legacy of the fascist age in the Italian public and institutional life. Finally, observations stemming from a study on an elite corps of the Italian army help destructuring the values leading life and practices in the Italian military and police barraks.