Re: Civilization?

Sure: culture is what anthropologists study, and civilization is what they 
return to.  Well, OK, so its obsolete, but for a particular time it was 
suitable.

I would not presume to give a w-s definition, but as institutional economists 
read the terms, culture is the "it" that you get when you are acculturated ... 
a particular societies basic rules and folkviews for getting around in the 
world ... while "Civilisation" is a particular type of society as a SYSTEM ... 
the type of society including cities (civis) that propagates itself through 
texts as well as through direct contact.

Civilisation as a term for "doing good things" is just a a folkview of exactly 
the same sort as "the traditional ways are best because they are left to us by 
our guardian ancestor spirits".  Accepting the customary ways of doing things 
as "right and normal" is institutionalisation whether it is African villagers 
beating drums to scare away evil spirits or American commuters blowing horns to 
break up a traffic jam.

--
Dr. Bruce R. McFarling
Lecturer in Economics & International Business
Newcastle Graduate School of Business
University of Newcastle
Callaghan NSW 2308
(02) 4921 7962 (W, voicemail)
(02) 4921 7398 (FAX)



>>> Seyed Javad <seyedjavad@hotmail.com> 05/29/03 10:42pm >>>
Greetings,
Does anybody know what is the difference between 'Culture' and 'Civilization' 
within human sciences and social-cultural studies? Secondly, what is the most 
standard definition(s) of 'Civilization' in contemporary discourses?
Kind Regards
Seyed

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