Weirding Civilization: The Strange Foundations of the Modern World (1)

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Synopsis
Weirding Civilization examines the irrational foundations of civilization, from the Bronze Age to the Anthropocene. Inspired by Twin Peaks and Lovecraftian horror, it reveals how weirdness – disorienting, monstrous, and ambivalent – has shaped human society since the rise of the first complex civilizations.Taking ‘weirding’ as its conceptual lens, the book examines hallmarks of civilization such as urbanism, money, and writing, uncovering their layered and often non-rational nature. While the concept of weirding has gained traction across disciplines, from literature studies to climate science, this book applies it systematically to early civilizations for the first time. Weirdness emerges as ruptures in experienced reality, arising from the complex interplay between humans and non-humans. The book explores how civilization has unfolded in relation to hidden, invisible, and unknown dimensions of reality. Accessible and thought-provoking, it broadens conceptual horizons, offering fresh insights into the past and present while inviting readers to embrace that which resists categorization. With a primary focus on Europe and the Near East, it also addresses global questions of modernity, technology, and cultural imagination.This book is essential for archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians studying complex societies as well as for readers fascinated by unconventional approaches to history and civilization. It appeals to anyone seeking to disrupt conventional understandings of humanity’s development.
Copyright:
2025

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
290 Pages
ISBN-13:
9781040350331
Related ISBNs:
9781032941189, 9781040350294, 9781003569039, 9781032941165
Publisher:
Taylor & Francis
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Vesa-Pekka Herva and Antti Lahelma
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
Nonfiction, Social Studies
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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