Introduction

My book starts from the results of this process, the liberation of the Papal Legations in 1859 and their annexation by Piedmont. Based on a case study of Bologna, the book takes us through the so-called liberal period of Italian history starting with Unifi cation, up to its collapse under Fascism. It demonstrates the connections between political developments, social change and culture. Culture helped in the process of constructing urban and national identities after Unifi cation; but in the case of Bologna the city’s politics of culture also became a political target for those fi ghting against the liberal institutions and democracy, explaining why Bologna was the fi rst city in which the Fascists ended democratic rule, two years before their March on Rome. Thus, in addition to explaining the transformation of Italy during the liberal period, my book also offers a new perspective on the origins of Fascism in Italy.