African, American and European Trajectories of Modernity: Past Oppression, Future Justice?
Peter Wagner
Abstract
This book asks why, from some moment onwards, ‘Europe’ and ‘the rest of the world’ entered into a particular relationship. This relationship was not merely one of domination but one that was conceived as a kind of superiority; more specifically, as an ‘advance’ in historical time. Toward this end, the book first analyses the emergence of this Atlantic modernity, then proceeds to compare aspects of contemporary Southern modernity, focusing on Brazil, Chile and South Africa. Finally, it explores the dynamics of contemporary modernity worldwide, looking at the relationship between past oppression ... More
This book asks why, from some moment onwards, ‘Europe’ and ‘the rest of the world’ entered into a particular relationship. This relationship was not merely one of domination but one that was conceived as a kind of superiority; more specifically, as an ‘advance’ in historical time. Toward this end, the book first analyses the emergence of this Atlantic modernity, then proceeds to compare aspects of contemporary Southern modernity, focusing on Brazil, Chile and South Africa. Finally, it explores the dynamics of contemporary modernity worldwide, looking at the relationship between past oppression and injustice and expectations for future freedom and justice. The book firmly links the history of Europe to world history, situating European modernity in its global context.
Keywords:
domination,
Europe,
superiority,
Atlantic,
modernity,
oppression,
injustice,
freedom,
justice,
South Africa
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2015 |
Print ISBN-13: 9781474400404 |
| Published to Edinburgh Scholarship Online: September 2017 |
DOI:10.3366/edinburgh/9781474400404.001.0001 |
