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- Title
The barbarism of civilization: cultural genocide and the 'stolen generations'.
- Authors
Krieken, Robert Van
- Abstract
The article explains the concept of "civilization" in relation to "stolen generations." "Civilization" involves the transformation of human habitus so that violence of all sorts is gradually subjected to greater and more sophisticated forms of management and control, whereas "decivilization' encompasses processes which produce an increase in violence and a breakdown in the stability and consistency of on-going social relations. Genocide and barbarism are concepts we generally associate with particular forms of violence, certain types of behaviour, events such as murder, massacre, torture, rape, mutilation, slavery, systematic beatings, planned and organized starvation or infection. In case of Australia, "stolen generations" of Aboriginal children has a number of important implications for the political and moral debates within Australian politics and society, including the question of collective shame and the relationship of present generations to events in the nation's past. It not only explains the multiple meaning of the concept of "civilization," but also multiple effects of the practices which emerged from its conceptualization.
- Subjects
AUSTRALIA; CIVILIZATION; VIOLENCE; GENERATIONS; SOCIAL advocacy; INTERPERSONAL relations
- Publication
British Journal of Sociology, 1999, Vol 50, Issue 2, p297
- ISSN
0007-1315
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1080/000713199358752