Overview

Debating civilisations offers an up-to-date evaluation of the re-emerging field of civilisational analysis, tracing its main currents and comparing it to rival paradigms such as Marxism, globalisation theory and postcolonial sociology. The book suggests that civilisational analysis offers an alternative approach to understanding globalisation, one that focuses on the dense engagement of societies, cultures, empires and civilisations in human history. Building on Castoriadis's theory of social imaginaries, it argues that civilisations are best understood as the products of routine contacts and connections carried out by anonymous actors over the course of long periods of time. It illustrates this argument through case studies of modern Japan, the Pacific and post-Conquest Latin America (including the revival of indigenous civilisations), exploring discourses of civilisation outside the West within the context of growing Western imperial power. -- .

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9781526105295

Table of Contents

Reviews

'This is an important book that makes a positive and sophisticated contribution to comparative-historical sociology. With this work, Jeremy Smith confirms his place in the first rank of scholars of contemporary civilisational analysis. Following in particular the theories of Castoriadis and Arnason, Smith elaborates the idea of intercivilisational engagement that allows him to extend the scope of study of civilisational formations. The author presents subtle arguments which are original and generally convincing. Of special interest is the focus on Latin America and the Pacific as regions that were largely missing from the sociological study of civilisations. At the same time, Smith highlights new aspects of Japan's inter-civilisational relations. I remain impressed by the insights of the book. It is informative, stimulating and must reading for anyone interested in civilisational analysis as a paradigm-in-the-making of today's sociology.' Mikhail Maslovskiy, Sociological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences -- .

Author Information

Jeremy C. A. Smith is Deputy Head of the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Federation University Australia, Victoria

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