LAUSR

throughout the continent. Beginning in the 1970s, and partly in response to increasingly multicultural demographics, various right-wing politicians and movements have represented themselves as defenders of “Western civilization,” a frequent euphemism for “White” civilization. The right-wing backlash against a more inclusive concept of civilization demonstrates, Betts argues, that European efforts to redefine civilization since 1945 are still very much unfinished, with the question of how best to define the concept hanging in the balance. Betts makes a compelling case for the role that reimagining the very concept of civilization played in European recovery from the devastation and disruption of the war. Importantly, he also demonstrates that debates over how best to define civilization— particularly regarding its degree of inclusivity of diverse cultures—are still actively shaping current events and remain extremely relevant. Betts raises important questions about modern concepts of civilization, answering many, but also offering intriguing possibilities for future research. Most impressively, Betts effectively situates Europe within a global context, a necessity for scholars of our modern, interconnected world, illustrating the transnational impact and relevance of modern efforts to define and redefine “civilization.” Ruin and Renewal is a well-researched, thought-provoking, and thematically innovative work, and scholars will find much of interest in this important contribution to the field of modern European (and world) history.