The concept of progress has long occupied a central place in historical thought, shaping how societies understand the relationship between past, present, and future. This special issue critically examines progress as both a descriptive framework and a normative ideal. It traces the emergence of the modern notion of progress from Enlightenment thought, emphasizing its linear conception of time, its reliance on human agency, and its traditional association with scientific, technological, moral, and social advancement. At the same time, it highlights enduring critiques that question the universality, agents, and consequences of progress, including its historical entanglement with domination, inequality, capitalism, and environmental degradation.

The contributions to this issue engage these debates from empirical, theoretical, and case-based perspectives. While some authors defend the claim that modern societies have achieved substantial improvements in living standards and social conditions, others expose the exclusions, contradictions, and unintended harms embedded in narratives of progress. Through analyses ranging from imperial aesthetics and gendered bodies to political repression and technocracy, the issue demonstrates that progress is neither linear nor unambiguous. Rather than abandoning the concept altogether, the contributions argue for a more nuanced and reflective understanding of progress as a complex, contested, and historically situated idea that remains central to political and scholarly inquiry.