On the Judgment of History

History will judge the oppressors, but the future may condemn them. Those who stand up for progressive values are on the right side of history. Joan Wallach Scott's book challenges the belief that history will redeem us, revealing the implicit politics of appeals to the judgment of history. She argues that the notion of a linear, ever-improving direction of history hides the persistence of power structures and hinders the pursuit of alternative futures. Advocates for reparations call into question a national history that has long ignored enslavement and its racist legacies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 22 September 2020
Publisher: Columbia University Press

In the face of conflict and despair, we often find solace in the notion that history will be the ultimate judge of our actions. While todays oppressors may escape accountability for their crimes, the future holds the power to condemn them. Those who stand up for progressive values and advocate for justice are on the right side of history. However, as ideas once deemed taboo and relegated to the dustbin of history, such as white supremacy, hypernationalism, and even fascism, resurface in the world, threatening democratic institutions and values, can we still hold onto the hope that history will render its verdict?

Joan Wallach Scott delves into the belief that history will redeem us, shedding light on the implicit politics behind appeals to historical judgment. She challenges the notion of a linear and ever-improving direction of history, revealing the persistence of power structures that hinder the pursuit of alternative futures. This vision of necessary progress perpetuates the assumption that the nation-state is the culmination of history and the ultimate source for rectifying injustice. Scott examines the Nuremberg Tribunal and South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which claimed to carry out historys judgment on Nazism and apartheid, and contrasts them with the movement for reparations for slavery in the United States. Advocates for reparations challenge the national history that has long ignored enslavement and its racist legacies. By critically questioning the place of the nation-state as the final arbiter of historys judgment, this book argues, we can open up space for radically different conceptions of justice.

In conclusion, the belief that history will redeem us offers a sense of comfort in the face of conflict and despair. However, Joan Wallach Scott's critical examination reveals the implicit politics behind appeals to historical judgment. By challenging the notion of a linear and ever-improving direction of history, we can uncover the persistence of power structures and work towards alternative futures that prioritize justice and equality. Only by critically questioning the place of the nation-state as the final arbiter of historys judgment can we open up room for radically different conceptions of justice and work towards a more inclusive and equitable world.

Weight: 206g
Dimension: 139 x 215 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231196956