Eurocentrism and the history of democracy

Building atop these earlier works, this article offers a fresh critique of the work of Dunn and other political scientists and historians who have propagated the Eurocentric history of democracy. The papers argues that such work can be dissected and critiqued along several key lines: their reliance on a distinctly patriarchal discourse riddled with prejudices; the assertion that one can understand the history of democracy via the etymology of the word itself; and the deeply Eurocentric roots of the study of democracy’s past embedded in the canon of Western political thought. The paper concludes by calling on contemporary political scientists and political historians concerned with the history of democracy to be careful in re-iterating this deeply flawed history of democracy and to instead work towards a history of democracy that retrieves the silenced histories and the forgotten democratic moments that lay behind the roar of Western power.

Experts' history: the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial and Anatomie des SS-Staates

Four West German historians acted as expert witnesses in the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial, from 1963 to 1965. Their written reports for the trial became an influential book: “Anatomy of the SS State”. This research argues there is a paradoxical relationship between the historians’ courtroom roles, their written reports, and “Anatomy”.

Book review. Historical justice in international perspective

The notion that something can — and must — be done to address injustices of the past has gained signifieant political currency around the world in recent decades. As demands for apologies, reparation, restitution, and restorative justice have grown louder, the attempt to make amends has emerged as an important national marker in what Elazar Barkan has called a new era of intemational morality. For historians, this seemingly new way of engaging with the past is particularly intriguing, perhaps signalling a significant change in historical consciousness in the contemporary world. Historical Justice in International Perspective offers a window onto these events, surveying the political, judicial, and historical landscapes of what has become known as historical justice. In doing so, this collection demonstrates the widespread and increasing significance of historieal redress in contemporary political life.

In search of the philosopher’s stone: alchemy, ARM and the Sydney Opera House

Since the Middle Ages, alchemists sought the Philosopher’s Stone; a mythical elixir of life and longevity and essential for – chrysopoeia – the transmutation of lead to gold, of base metals to noble ones. The Sydney Opera House is widely regarded within the discipline of architecture as a ‘flawed masterpiece;’ its iconic exterior celebrated as Sydney’s golden architectural icon, while the interiors by Peter Hall, are largely criticised as the leaden cousins of the building’s original major and minor hall designs. Like the mythical Philosopher’s Stone, Jørn Utzon’s designs for the interior of the building remained elusive until Unseen Utzon (1994/5). This exhibition revealed the major hall (now the Concert Hall) as an expanse lined with gold and red-radiating waves, and the minor hall (now the Opera Theatre) awash in silver and blue, an apparition of Uzton’s genius and completion of his original vision.

La montée du fascisme et de la Grande Dépression en Allemagne, vue par la presse de France, de Grande-Bretagne et des États-Unis (1930-32)

Dans les années 1931-32, les disputes à propos du traité de Versailles accompagnent la montée du fascisme et de la Grande Dépression en Allemagne. Les dirigeants anglosaxons ont justifié leur appui du Reich par leurs opinions publiques et des historiens ont expliqué que ces dernières s’étaient bercées d’illusions sur les enjeux allemands. Mais quelles étaient et d’où provenaient-elles ? Notre étude de quotidiens français, américains et britanniques montre qu’elles n’étaient pas uniquement constituées d’erreurs d’appréciation des réalités objectives, mais aussi de faits occultés, d’inventions, d’une guerre médiatique justifiant les choix de certains dirigeants financiers et politiques anglo-saxons. La diffusion rapide des mêmes inventions des deux côtés de l’Atlantique suggère l’existence de canaux de « fabrique d’opinions » entre l’Allemagne, la Grande-Bretagne, et les États-Unis.

América Latina y el Caribe: Variables de competitividad para la dinámica empresarial 2007 - 2014

Este estudio realiza una categorización regional de los países en América Latina con respecto de las categorizaciones globales teniendo en cuenta los índices de competitividad, crecimiento económico y desarrollo humano. El objetivo es actualizar los análisis sobre la situación regional de forma cuantitativa involucrando el grado de asimetría en la competitividad. Esta relación entre el posicionamiento global y regional ha influenciado directamente la evolución del tejido empresarial

Espectáculo de identidades nacionales. Presentación de Colombia en las Exposiciones Internacionales de 1992, 1998, 2010

El presente documento analiza como el Estado colombiano ha querido crear una identidad nacional en tres Exposiciones Internacionales a partir de representaciones elaboradas con un discurso entre político, comercial y cultural, generando imágenes que no siempre concuerdan con la realidad.

El paraíso perdido (Nueva historia y utopía en Costa Rica)

ResumenReflexiona acerca del papel de la Historia y los historiadores en Costa Rica.AbstractThe author reflects upon the role of History and historians in Costa Rica.