Shaping History: Narratives of Political Change

by Molly Andrews

Featuring extraordinary personal accounts, this book provides a unique window through which to examine some of the great political changes of our time, and reveals both the potential and the challenge of narrating the political world. Molly Andrews' novel analysis of the relationship between history and biography presents in-depth case studies of four different countries, offers insights into controversial issues such as the explosion of patriotism in post -9/11 USA; East Germans' ambivalent reactions to the fall of the Berlin Wall; the pressures on victims to tell certain kinds of stories while testifying before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission; and the lifelong commitment to fight for social justice in England. Each of the case studies explores the implicit political worldviews which individuals impart through the stories they tell about their lives, as well as the wider social and political context which makes some stories more 'tell-able' than others.

Paperback

First published July 1, 2007

Reviews

[Matias Uusisilta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrews who has interviewed people in times of political and social change, gives insightful reflections on the stories and narratives that shape our understanding of the events that changed our world.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

looks at political identity in the UK, U.S., East Germany, and South Africa and how important history intertwines with personal narratives of people involved in movements for social change.