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"Civilization and Statehood" published on by Oxford University Press.

Neoinstitutionalists concern themselves with the mechanisms that legitimate social practices, the social embeddedness of human arrangements, & the particular historical character of institutionalized practices. But neoinstitutionalism is not the only possible approach to social conduct. Drawing from Anthony Giddens's (eg, 1976) understanding of temporality & of the relationship between individual agency & institutionalized patterns of social conduct, the neoinstitutionalist approach is extended & qualified. These insights are then applied to a discussion of the constitution of two institutions, art & accounting, in the Royal Theater in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is argued that the dialect between art & accounting dramatizes the contradictory nature of modern civilization. 2 Tables. M. Maguire

Der Verfasser macht deutlich, daß der zunehmende Individualisierungszwang die Nachfrage nach identitätsstiftenden Sinnangeboten verstärkt. "Diese Sinnangebote werden nicht als obligatorische übernommen, sondern bewußt und 'rational' ausgewählt und bei Bedarf auch gewechselt, insbesondere auch angesichts des dauernden, alltäglichen Übergangs in und zwischen 'kleinen' Lebens- und Zweckwelten." Während Identität früher soziale Selbstverständlichkeit war, wird sie in der Postmoderne zur "problematischen Privatangelegenheit". Der Verfasser diskutiert die Tendenz einer Entwicklung der Identität zur "endlosen Maskerade, zur strukturellen Irrelevanz des Subjekts" im Sinne einer "Sinn-Collage". (ICE)

This article offers an analysis and mathematical modeling of the influence of
one of the major factors of the World System macrodynamics throughout most
part of its history (since the 'urban revolution') – the factor of interaction of
civilizations with their barbarian periphery. The proposed mathematical model
is intended to describe possible influence of interaction between civilizational
core of the World System and its barbarian periphery on the formation
of the specific curve of the world urbanization dynamics. It simulates completion
of the phase transition, behavior of the system in the attraction basin and
beginning of the phase transition to the attraction basin of the new attractor
and is aimed to identify the role of the factor of interaction between the civilizational
core and barbarian periphery in the formation of attractor effect during
the completion of phase transition, that is for clarification of the reason
why there was observed not only slowdown of growth rates of the main indicators
of the World System development after completion of phase transitions
during its development, but also their falling with the subsequent temporary
stabilization near some equilibrium level. Achievements of modern barbarology,
including the understanding of complexity of the barbarian periphery itself
and its heterogeneity are considered. The basic principle of the proposed dynamic
model is that sizes, power and level of complexity in realization of external
policy functions in nomadic unions (empires) closely correspond to sizes,
power and level of political culture and activity of the core states with which
nomads constantly had to do (this point has been established in works of the
known experts in nomadic studies). Various alternatives are shown in the model,
when depending on power and size of one of the two components of the system 'civilization – barbarian periphery' studied by us, another one also
changes significantly as it has to respond to the challenge properly, or can
make less efforts feeling no threat or resistance. This principle is observed
throughout the long period of the history of the World System. It is shown that
interaction between the civilizational center and barbarian periphery really
can explain some characteristic features of the World System dynamics in the
4th millennium BCE – the 2nd millennium CE. The ways of further development
of the model are outlined.

Eugene Odum adds new concepts to his previous literature on the ecological approach. Emergy, as an explanation of the quality of the type of energy, is discussed in terms of transferring to solar energy & species maturation. The P/R ratio, ecology as C.P Snow's third culture, & the two house conceptualization of the techno-ecosystem reward feedback are presented in terms of ecological interrelationships. The author concludes with the argument that modern civilization & nature is a parasite-host relationship, & advocates efforts to increase money & efforts to service our life-support systems by copying nature's reward feedback flow from our techno-systems by reconstructing economics in line with suggestions presented by Boulding or Hawken et al. References. J. Harwell

A conclusion to this collection of essays on contemporary public attitudes toward the welfare state revisits the development of modern society, identifying the core values of civilization (particularly in Eastern & Western Europe) & the role of the state in sustaining them. The concept of civilization is discussed in terms of Norbert Elias's (1939) work & later theories derived from it. Focus is on how the withdrawal of the state from many of its former functions has impacted the citizens of complex, modern societies, specifically, in terms of (1) social coexistence; (2) the evolution of cultural values & their "trickling down" from the highest to the lowest strata; (3) the distribution of resources & access to them; (4) civilizing agents; (5) the greater refinement & intricacy of civilizational patterns at the top of the social strata; (6) changes in the role of physical & symbolic violence; & (7) the lengthy time necessary to achieve civilization & various factors that can cause de- or anticivilization. Specific factors shaping modern civilization are identified, & the state's role in addressing new challenges posed by increased social density & complexity, social differentiation & exclusion, & competitiveness is explored. 49 References. K. Hyatt Stewart

(Originally published in John A. Hall & Ian C. Jarvie's [Eds], Transition to Modernity, 1992 [see abstract 93c01707].) Ernest Gellner's specification of the uniqueness of modern industrial-capitalist civilization (1975, 1988) is criticized for relying too heavily on a rigid philosophy of history. Gellner identifies the ascendancy of rationality as the first marker of modernity; the second is the artificial separation of the institutions of kinship, politics, religion, & economics. An explanation of the origin of these particular features of modern society eludes Gellner, who describes the transition to modernity as a series of near-miraculous accidents. Gellner's model of human history, based on the three stages of human development (hunting-gathering, agrarian, & industrial), fails to account for the differences between societies that fall within the same stage. Once this model is abandoned, the wholly contrived or accidental separation of institutions emerges as the crucial element of modernity. 6 References. H. von Rautenfeld

"The paper rejects the notion of 'multiple modernities' as both conceptually flawed and empirically unfounded. In line with the sociological tradition, it will argue that we should speak of modernity only in the singular. Modernity, according to this view, denotesa peculiar epoch in the history of human kind, originating in Europe and spreading from there to the rest of the world. We may well be tempted to succumb too quickly to ill-conceived generalizations of what are in fact often only particular, locally based experiences. But we should also not lose sight of the truly revolutionary character of the historical 'breakthrough' to modernity. The protagonists of the multiple modernities paradigm appear to be doing precisely this: their very terminology impliesa trivialization of what is common to 'the' modern condition. At the same time, it suggests an overrating of which ever diversities (may) exist in different parts of the world. The paper will identify four main conceptual flaws in the pertinent literature: 1. The proclivity to equate modernity with its polity. The proposed conception of modernity is thus too thin for capturing the complex social structure of modern society as a whole. 2. To the extent that a theory of modernity is proposed at all, this theory is a self proclaimed cultural theory. Such a theory may shed light on some of the historical roots and self-perceptions of modernity, but it does so at the cost of excluding any thorough analysis of institutions. 3. The conceptualization of inter-societal difference in civilizational terms is misleading because it rules out, almost by definition, the possibility that countries belonging to different civilizations may in certain respects have more in common with ones from other civilizations than with some of the members of their 'own'. 4. The account's notion of diversity is exceedingly vague - the nature and profundity of the differences that are said to exist between different modernities are nowhere discussed at adequate length. But we need to know them to assess their social theoretic significance. In addition to these conceptual flaws, there are also various empirical phenomena and trends that challenge key premises of the multiple modernities approach. None of this is to say there are no differences between different regions, countries, civilizations. Nor is it to suggest their insignificance. It is, however, to suggest that we be more precise and that we extend our analyses beyond the confines of culture and politics - at least if we want to say something meaningful about modernity or modern society at large. Rather than speaking of multiple modernities, a better alternative to accommodate existing differences might be a yet to be developed concept of 'varieties of modernity' - akin to (but naturally pitched at a higher level of abstraction than) the notion of 'varieties of capitalism' which is beginning to crystallize in the new political economy literature." (author's abstract)

A comment on Will Kymlicka's "Western Political Theory and Ethnic Relations in Eastern Europe" (2001) considers the applicability of Western experience to Uzbekistan. Different development priorities & paths following independence in Central Asia underpin pronounced cross-national divergence in attitudes toward the Soviet legacy & its cultural heritage, particularly Russian culture & language. In addition, postindependence revealed the tension between modern nation building & traditional management of multiethnicity, ethnocultural diversity, & multiculturalism. The deepening of ethnocultural differences is then demonstrated with an examination of Tajik & Uzbek claims related to urban civilization. Resolution of these problems hinges on the ability for elites to move from rhetoric to practical measures in developing a multiethnocultural society & ethnocultural pluralism. J. Zendejas

A comment on Will Kymlicka's "Western Political Theory and Ethnic Relations in Eastern Europe" (2001) considers the applicability of Western experience to Uzbekistan. Different development priorities & paths following independence in Central Asia underpin pronounced cross-national divergence in attitudes toward the Soviet legacy & its cultural heritage, particularly Russian culture & language. In addition, postindependence revealed the tension between modern nation building & traditional management of multiethnicity, ethnocultural diversity, & multiculturalism. The deepening of ethnocultural differences is then demonstrated with an examination of Tajik & Uzbek claims related to urban civilization. Resolution of these problems hinges on the ability for elites to move from rhetoric to practical measures in developing a multiethnocultural society & ethnocultural pluralism. J. Zendejas

"As early as in the mid-1930s, the world went towards eliminating the foundations of the classical doctrine of ius ad bellum and enforcing legal norms to restrain the violence of war. However, at the same time the world experiences the release of unbounded violence, epitomized by the rise of total war in the 20th century. Total war does not know any difference between combatants and non-combatants. Atrocities and war crimes are not just rare exceptions. How was it possible that in the modern age we are confronted with such an irreconcilable opposition between the morals and norms of war and the practice of war? The article will deal with this question by way of reconstructing essential elements of the discursive conditions of the 'dissociation mentality' (Bernd Hüppauf). This way of asking assumes that discourses on war, that is organized knowledge structures gained from texts, myths, images and collective symbols dealing with the experience of violence in the context of war, considerably influence the views, mentalities, moral orientations and behaviour of humans. In the article, the analysis will be restricted to one certain discourse which developed in Germany in the interwar period. The thesis is that the 'discourse of martial society' must be counted among the institutional preconditions of unbounded violence in World War II, because it was systematically severing the commitment to civilized norms. The discourse comprised a fundamental criticism of those barriers to violence as gained by civilization, which becomes particularly obvious by a criticism of the political philosophy of the Romantic period and Western civilization. It aimed at heroic individualization, the modernization of social structures according to military patterns and at total mobilization. And not the least, it led into an apology of violence." (author's abstract)

Der Beitrag untersucht die Geschichte des Badens bzw. der Badekultur als "Schnittstelle" zwischen Hygiene und Scham im Rahmen einer Rekonstruktion der Vorgeschichte der Freikörperkulturbewegung. Der Autor sieht hier einen fruchtbaren Ansatzpunkt, an dem sich der "Umgang mit Nacktheit und die damit verbundenen moralischen Auseinandersetzungen" darstellen lassen. Die zeitlich und gesellschaftlich bedingte Verhaltenspraxis der Scham verweist in der Verbindung mit Bademode und dem Ort des Badens (im Freien oder der Badeanstalt) nicht nur auf ein wichtiges Moment der Distinktion von Lebensstilen, sondern auch auf den Anteil von für "natürlich" gehaltener Hygiene am Zivilisationsprozeß. Der Autor zeigt insgesamt, dass das Baden mit oder ohne Badehose bzw. Badekleid nicht nur eine Frage lokaler Gegebenheiten war, sondern auch im Deutschen Kaiserreich zu einer "Weltanschauungsfrage" wurde. (ICA)