The phrase "politics of memory" refers to the ways expressions of political power shape what is available to be remembered, the spaces in which public memory takes shape, who is allowed to recall the past, and the practices, occasions, and timing of remembering and forgetting. The Power of Memory offers an examination of ancient, modern, and contemporary political theories and practices in order to develop a more expansive way of conceptualizing memory, how political power influences the presence of the past, and memory's ongoing impact on democratic horizons. The cases considered span the democracy of ancient Athens, South Africa's effort to transition from apartheid by democratizing memory via its landmark Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Mexico's struggle to fortify democratic accountability by persecuting those responsible for the atrocities and disappearances of the "dirty war," and the unresolved legacy of slavery in U.S. race relations. P.J. Brendese is visiting assistant professor of political science at Haverford College.