The Importance of Being Civil
The Struggle for Political Decency
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- 18,99 €
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- 18,99 €
Beschreibung des Verlags
How civility has shaped and been shaped by historical and social forces, and why it is in danger today
Civility is desirable and possible, but can this fragile ideal be guaranteed? The Importance of Being Civil offers the most comprehensive look at the nature and advantages of civility throughout history and in our world today. Esteemed sociologist John Hall expands our understanding of civility as related to larger social forces—including revolution, imperialism, capitalism, nationalism, and war—and the ways that such elements limit the potential for civility.
Combining wide-ranging historical and comparative evidence with social and moral theory, Hall examines how the nature of civility has fluctuated in the last three centuries, how it became lost, and how it was reestablished in the twentieth century following the two world wars. He also considers why civility is currently breaking down and what can be done to mitigate this threat.
The Importance of Being Civil is a decisive and sophisticated addition to the discussion of civility in its modern cultural and historical contexts.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this insightful, well-argued examination of civility (defined as a tolerance and respect for different points of view), McGill University sociologist Hall (Powers and Liberties) argues that civility is the crucial foundation for a successful civil society. For the author, civility involves "respect for the rule of law, attention to empirical evidence, and abhorrence of violence," while those who practice it have "ironic and affectionate amusement at the foibles of humanity." He utilizes the works of several philosophers to bolster his thesis, including Montesquieu, whose Persian Letters shows how everything in society, from food and sex to religion and politics, comes from custom with no grounding in philosophical fact; therefore, differences in these are insubstantial and should not be attacked. Some of Hall's claims will certainly provoke controversy: for instance, his claim that only the West developed the idea of respecting difference, a history not shared by Islamic, Chinese, and Indian civilizations, and which therefore have not cultivated this idea of civility. He also examines several ideas he believes are opposed to civility, among them the demand for "authenticity," the belief that every person has a "real self" that ought to be actively engaged at all times; this "unrestricted openness would lead to confusion and distrust." This is a much-needed book for today's contentious world.
