This wide-ranging collection of academic essays examines the various undertakings by modern
intellectuals and ideologues in the process of propaganda and political debate. Matthew Feldman
calls attention to the substantial role played in post-Great War Europe and the US by
religions-both familiar monotheisms like Christianity and secular 'political faiths'-over the
last century of upheaval and revolutionary change. While the first part considers Ezra Pound as
a case study in fascist conversion' in Mussolini's Italy leading to extensive propaganda the
second half examines other fascist ideologues like Martin Heidegger to fascist murderer Anders
Behring Breivik before turning to other leading ideologies in modern Europe and the US
communism and liberalism covering key figures from Thomas Merton and Albert Camus to the
Russian Constructionists and Samuel Beckett with especial focus on the subjects of modern
warfare political terrorism and genocide ranging from Stalinist gulags to the war in Iraq.
With thought-provoking discussion of the interplay between belief and modern politics as
understood by familiar intellectual voices this volume will be of interest to scholars and
general readers alike.
