The Return of History

Starred review from December 5, 2016
Welsh’s book, part of the CBC’s erudite Massey Lecture Series, is insightful, frighteningly timely, and highly accessible. With four broad, well-examined analyses—of the rise of ISIS, global displacement and refugee crises, the resurgence of the Cold War, and growing institutional inequality in the West—Welsh (At Home in the World) refutes political scientist Francis Fukuyama’s premature 1989 declaration of the triumph of Western liberal democracy and advent of global peace. Welsh’s impressive body of published geopolitical and international relations commentary and work as an adviser to the U.N. Secretary General make her the ideal writer to do so. Her astute, concise observations and wealth of knowledge in her field let her frame an argument for eschewing complacency and a cogent, extremely well annotated call to arms. Her central thesis can, perhaps, best be espoused by this line from “The Return of Mass Flight” section: “Narratives of fear are crowding out our humanitarian obligations.” But despite the dire, and apt, nature of her warnings, Welsh recommends hope and action: “Draw attention to injustice... demand greater equality... stand up for fairness.” She skillfully answers realpolitik questions with a seamless, finely honed argument deserving of broad readership and study.