The past does not lie behind us; it is continually invoked to interpret and shape the present. In her valedictory speech (No) Peace with the Past – The Politics of History Today, professor of political history Susan Legêne shows how history therefore remains a political battleground, both globally and close by.
A world order under pressure
Legêne sketches a world in which different, often conflicting histories converge. The postwar international order, with the United Nations as its cornerstone, is under severe pressure from wars, genocidal violence, and a renewed emphasis on “might is right” politics. The promise associated with progress, decolonization, and peace after 1945 seems to have lost its persuasive force. This is also reflected in a recent statement by Ursula von der Leyen, who in December 2025 said that yesterday’s peace is gone: “We cannot afford to let the world views of others define us.”
History as a counterimage of the present
According to Legêne, history today is often approached as a counterimage of the present - not as a path forward, but as something that has been lost or captured in nostalgia. She situates the Western idea of “the end of history” within its historical context and argues that, today as well, we need a broader, so-called conjunctural analysis, in which different historical processes are taken into account without reducing them to a single narrative. This is a precondition to also see where change and intervention are possible.
Nostalgia plays a central role in the counterimage of the present. Far-right movements use selective images and symbols from the past to legitimize exclusion and authoritarianism, but more broadly there is also a longing for a recent past, for example in response to the dominant role of big tech. In all these cases, the past becomes a battleground on which contemporary conflicts are fought.
The dark side of liberalism
Legêne connects this analysis to the history of liberalism. Freedom and equality went hand in hand with colonialism, slavery, and violence. “What is now called ‘illiberalism’ is not a breaking with the past but a visible reverse side of a liberal tradition that long regarded its own darker aspects as temporary. Neoliberalism has further intensified this tension and strengthened the illiberal element.”
The university as a practice spacefor peace
Against this background, Legêne reflects on the ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam to be a “practice space for peace.” She endorses the ideal of the university as a community of global citizens but emphasizes that science and academic debate are not automatically neutral or peace-loving. Discussions about exclusion, the ethical limits of research, distrust in knowledge, and political pressure in historiography demonstrate how charged these themes are.
Boycott as an investment in the future
As a concrete historical example, Legêne discusses the academic boycott of South African universities by VU Amsterdam during apartheid. “That boycott was not an endpoint but an investment in change. The university severed formal ties but maintained solidarity, which after apartheid led to reconnectionand intensive cooperation,” Legêne says. She places this history in the context of two UNESCO declarations against racism and racial prejudice from the 1970s, in which, after long negotiations, explicit positions were taken against racism and apartheid - but where much also remained unsaid.
Peace as a dynamic process
For Legêne, the university as a practice space for peace must also be a culturally rich and artistic environment, as she also shows herself through literature and songs in her lecture. “In my valedictory speech, I want to reflect together with those present on how we engage with the past, near and far. Not as a safe shelter or nostalgic refuge, but as a rich source for dialogue, responsibility, and possibilities for action.” Peace and the absence of peace are not fixed states but dynamic forces that continually take shape through choices, institutions, and practices of creativity and solidarity.
The Valedictory speech will take place on February 20, 2026, in the auditorium of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.