Abstract: Modern societies like to think of themselves as 'civilized'. When they make this claim, it becomes a way of self-evidently distinguishing themselves from non-Western, uncivilized societies, which are then seen, given the teleological qualities that have now come to be associated with this concept, as being at a more primitive, less-advanced stage of social development. But what are the distinguishing features of a society that professes to be civilized? We can draw from a number of social indicators to demonstrate such characteristics: levels of health care, literacy rates, those for infant mortalities – and, as well, the way in which a given society punishes its offenders. What sort of punishments, though, make one society seem civilized, another uncivilized?
Publication Year: 2004
Publication Date: 2004-03-18
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 3
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