ABSTRACT
At the end of the twentieth century we were confronted by the end of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the geo-political and ideological division that had defined much of the twentieth century. From this particular end, the ‘end of history’ was proclaimed. But is it really possible to say that liberal democracy and free market capitalism are the final form of law and mode of production in human history? Recent events have called this into question, for example the Arab Spring, the War on Terror, global economic collapse, and looming ecological crises. It seems that history is far from over. Yet, the idea of ‘the end’ remains, for example, in the question of the establishment of a new American empire or an era of international law, as well as the resurgence of religion as a dominant source of political identification. This collection of essays seeks to explore the ‘end of history’ in various contexts, including how it functions as an aesthetic in popular culture as well as the philosophical implications for conceiving time and existence. Several contributions also explore the end of history in political contexts, such as colonialism, policing practices, and the possibilities of communism. In all of these different ways, the essays in this collection attempt to address emerging horizons of meaning and reality.
