History in an Unfamiliar Key

Abstract Since the turn of the century, historians have focused on the diverse representations of the past, recognizing that traditional spaces (e.g., museums, statuary, and public commemorations) no longer have a monopoly on the public dissemination of history. This article explores representations of the past from an unusual place: punk rock music and the Canadian band Propagandhi (1986–present). It asks: Can we read history through punk rock? If so, what do we learn? Punks’ treatment of the past should be integrated into how we evaluate public consumption of history. While Propagandhi does not create new knowledge, their music acts as an alternative historical epistemology that tracks alongside professional historians. This article explains how punks have integrated historical material similar to the aesthetics used in punk zines, fashions, and record designs. It then analyzes Propagandhi’s focus on hypocrisy in punk communities through a historical framework, their perception of the early modern European epistemological origins of animal abuse, and their performance of a social history that magnifies the experiences of marginalized peoples.