WHERE ARE WE GOING AND ARE WE NEARLY THERE YET?

A U.K.-based educator reflects on current sociopolitical and economic issues.

Hodson is a staunch believer in the potential of humans to improve the systems that shape their lives, and in this book, he draws on his own international travels and interactions with diverse students as a secondary school history teacher. He’s also a realist, one who recognizes the effects of entrenched power structures and how legacies of colonialism, war, and political ideologies reverberate into the present. Indeed, much of the work’s commentary centers on harmful ideas in contemporary life, including classism in the U.K., racism in the United States, and the caste system in India. The author also critiques specific people, including President Donald Trump, citing his labeling of Covid-19 as the “China virus” as one aspect of America’s “us first” approach. The book similarly notes how dominant groups use culture wars to target people in the minority. The chapters are organized thematically, covering topics that range from government structures and challenges to democratic norms to ethical questions surrounding biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and other technological advancements. Although the content largely focuses on the present, Hodson’s goal is to challenge readers to envision a better future, based on what he calls a “New Enlightenment.” The author, whose previous book focused on British history, offers refreshingly nuanced historical takes in this work. His analysis of the first Enlightenment, for instance, notes how it challenged established interests, but also set the stage for Eurocentrism. The book’s citations, featured in a network of footnotes and multi-page bibliography, include varied philosophical perspectives that range from Immanuel Kant to Peter Singer and Pankaj Mishra. At almost 500 pages in length, the volume is dauntingly thorough, but its accessible style distills complex information into an engaging narrative.

A well-researched exploration of the forces that shape contemporary life and a hopeful vision for the future.