New Books in History Bradley R. Simpson, "The First Right: Self-Determination and the Transformation of International Order, 1941-2000" (Oxford UP, 2025)
Jan 25, 2026
Bradley R. Simpson, Associate Professor of History and Asian Studies, explores the contested meanings of self-determination across the twentieth century. He traces how decolonization, indigenous and regional movements, the UN, and Cold War power politics shaped competing visions. The conversation spans Pacific islands, economic sovereignty, transnational activism, and modern parallels like Palestine and Greenland.
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Self-Determination Is Historically Contested
- Self-determination is not fixed to one historical moment but shifts across the twentieth century.
- Simpson argues its meaning is contested from both top-down institutions and bottom-up movements.
Five Phases Shaped By Global Change
- Simpson outlines five phases of self-determination shaped by global political and economic shifts.
- Institutional contexts like the UN change how claimants can make and ground self-determination demands.
Atlantic Charter Opened A Pandora's Box
- The Atlantic Charter became a fulcrum for worldwide expectations even though it never contained the phrase 'self-determination.'
- Colonial powers tried to narrow its meaning, but anti-colonial movements expanded it as a standard to judge Allied promises.
