Inrecentyears,callsforreparationsandrestorativejustice,alongsidetheriseofpopulistgrievancepolitics,havedemonstratedthestubbornresilienceoftraumaticmemory.FromthetransnationalBlackLivesMattermovement’scallsforreckoningwiththelegacyofslaveryandracialoppression,tocontinuedeffortstosecurerecognitionoftheArmeniangenocideorImperialJapan’shumanrightsabuses,internationalpoliticsisrepletewithexamplesofpastviolencereassertingitselfinthepresent.Buthowshouldscholarsunderstandtrauma’slong-termimpacts?Whydosometraumasliedormantforgenerations,onlytosurfaceanewinpivotalmoments?Andhowdoestraumascalefromindividualstolargerpoliticalgroupingslikenationsandstates,shapingpoliticalidentities,grievances,andpolicymaking?InFromtheAshesofHistory,AdamB.Lernerlooksatcollectivetraumaasafoundationalforceininternationalpolitics--a“shock“topoliticalculturesthatcanconstitutenewactorsandshapedecision-makingoverthelong-term.AsLernershows,uncoveringcollectivetrauma’sroleininternationalpoliticsisvitalfortwokeyreasons.First,itcanhelpexplainlongstandingtensionsbetweengroups--anespeciallyrelevanttopicasscholarsexaminethetransnationalresurgenceofnationalismandpopulism.Second,itpushesthedisciplineofInternationalRelationstomorecompletelyaccountformassviolence’struelong-termcosts,particularlyastheybecomeembeddedinlongstandingstructuralinequalitiesandinjustices.WhileIRscholarshiphaslargelydismissednon-systematic,latentphenomenaliketrauma,Lernerarguesthatcollectivetraumacanhelpdrawthelinesbetweeninternationalpoliticalgroupsandframethelogicsofinternationalpoliticalaction.DrawingonthreehistoricalcasesthatuncovertheimpactofcollectivetraumainIndian,Israeli,andAmericanforeignpolicymaking,FromtheAshesofHistorydemonstratesthebroadutilityofcollectivetraumaasatheoreticallensforinvestigatinghowmassviolence’slegacycanresurgeanddissipateovertime.
