Genealogies of the West: Civilization, Religion, Consciousness

Description

This book presents a new look at the West by tracing the still-recognisable footprints of the past and reflecting on the present challenges is facing. It recalls the genealogies of the plural processes, ideas, and events that structure the West's tradition and identity, and their presence nowadays. The book has two different but complementary sides, as in the old vinyl records. On side one, it presents summaries and arguments about a vast array of issues raised by the history of Western civilisation, especially about cultural points, intellectual attainments, religious beliefs, and historical transformations. It proposes to embark on a journey that reaches back to the foundations of the Western Civilisation such as Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, and the early Christianity. It explores the painful split between Rome, Constantinople and Mecca. It connects the great values of the Middle Ages - from the chivalrous spirit to the scholastic rationality - to the present. It shows the faces of the Modernity and its most relevant achievements - the state in politics, the capitalism in economics, the science in knowledge - and how they are being revised nowadays by Postmodernity. It examines the twentieth- and twenty-first century self-inflicted criticism of the West, which has revised its previous tradition and heritage, and threatens the entire civilisation to disappear. On side two, Genealogies of the West recalls the genealogies of the plural processes, ideas, and events that structure the West's tradition and identity, and their presence nowadays. It invites the reader to not only brush up on knowledge of the past, but also to reflect on the present and consider the political, social, economic, cultural, intellectual, moral, artistic and spiritual elements of past cultures that have left an indelible mark on contemporary values. Such an effort aids in our+J1 understanding of who we are, where we come from, how we are wired, what we owe to each period of the past and, based on this rich experience, how we can face the future with guarantees. Engaging with this book helps readers gain perspective, gives clues for understanding the complexities of the past, challenges some pre-assumed historical inaccuracies, examines successes and mistakes, aids in the recognition of Western values and traditions, identifies its weight and presence in the present, and projects these thoughts towards the future.

Jaume Aurell is Professor of Medieval History and Modern Historiography in the University of Navarra (Spain).

"Genealogy of the West is a stunning achievement, a brief history from the Jerusalem of the Hebrews to the daunting challenges of the new millennium. Erudite yet elegantly written, it covers, critiques, and rescues the heart of our political and cultural tradition for contemporary readers. Perfect for a college survey course, it is exciting and fast paced enough for a general audience"-Robert A, Rosenstone, Professor Emeritus of History, California Institute of Technology, USA. "Genealogies of the West is a lucid and timely analysis of the positive core values that have given the West its unique identity, especially those that have made it an exceptionally innovative, introspective, and self-critical civilization. As much of an unflinching rebuttal of triumphalist Western narratives and attitudes as it is of shortcomings that threaten to unmake the West from within, this daring book packs a welcome punch. Reminiscent of Charles Taylor's A Secular Age, Aurell's book offers a serious challenge to all reductionist discourse in the public sphere"-Carlos Eire, University of Yale, USA. "Jaume Aurell has produced an account of Western history that is a welcome antidote to the current conversations surrounding the positioning of the West in the history of civilization. It will serve as a welcome volume during this tumultuous time." -Julie Fairman, University of Pennsylvania, USA. "Jaume Aurell's book is both a history and a defense of the Western cultural tradition (or as he calls it, West' DNA), an ambitious work that is reminiscent of the famous Making of Europe by Christopher Dawson. At a time when Western values are often questioned, Aurell's voice is one that needs to be heard." -Peter Burke, University of Cambridge, UK.