Angelika Nußberger, Paula Rhein-Fischer (eds.)
Owning the Past: The Omnipresence of Divergent Historical Narratives in Law and Politics
The past feels omnipresent in today’s world. Wars are waged and defended in the name of history, while domestic and international politics revolve around struggles over collective memory. This edited volume explores how memory laws and politics contribute to authoritarianism by restricting human rights and reinforcing other populist tools. Focusing on memory’s ties to illiberalism, foreign policy, and the digital age, the contributions seek to spark debate on the future viability of memory laws and politics.
As with all our Verfassungsbooks, the digital edition is Open Access. A print copy can be ordered at your local bookstore or from major online retailers, with worldwide delivery available.
“The past is no longer a foreign country as is used to be until the 1980s. In the shape of fascist, communist or colonial legacies, it has invaded the present and become a political battleground over the seminal question of how nations today define their collective self-image. ‘Owning the Past’ is a rich and concise interdisciplinary and international study that offers a clear orientation and is destined to become an indispensable tool for theoreticians and practitioners involved in the ongoing political struggle over memory in the context of liberal and illiberal politics.”
Aleida Assmann, University of Konstanz
“‘Owning the Past’ shows the importance of investigating history, memory laws, and politics not as separate but closely intertwined fields of research. Drawing from various disciplines, this edited volume elaborates in a comparative perspective how the way of remembering the past shapes significantly domestic and foreign policy of our present and future. A most timely and compelling publication!”
Fabian Klose, University of Cologne