Criteriologie. Weer op zoek naar richtingaanwijzers in civilisatieprocessen

Samenvatting

Criteriology. Directional Signals in Civilization Processes. A critical review of a Amsterdams Sociologisch Tijdschrift, 1995, 21, 4, which had civilization theory as its theme. It is argued that the increase or decrease of self-control as described in Norbert Elias's civilization theory is the only criterion by which to measure civilization processes, thus excluding other emotion- and power-related criteria. Instead of univocally pinpointing the direction of a singular (de)civilization process, it is deemed more valuable to indicate the general direction of (de)civilizing tendencies. This position is illustrated with descriptions of civilizing and decivilizing aspects of the Holocaust, European integration, the global economy, and the welfare state. 9 References. S. Paul