From the Past to the Future. Summary of the First Chapter of "The World - A Beginner's Guide“ from Göran Therborn

Dossier / Travail , 2014 , 12 Pages , Note: 1,3

Sociologie - Système social et Structure sociale

This paper aims to summarize the most important aspects of Therborns first chapter “Why we are who we are: A sociocultural geology of today’s World.” In his book “The World – A Beginner´s Guide“, Göran Therborn, a Swedish Professor of Sociology at Cambridge University, gives an outline of today’s society. Through looking at the past, he tries to explain the sociocultural geology that forged the world into the vibrant, globalized interplay of politics, people and culture that we live in today. “The World” also gives a perspective of what may lay ahead of humankind’s everlasting journey to a better future.
This compass of the basic drives of human society, tries to paint a picture of our modern condition. From birth to after-life Therborn is set out to answer fundamental questions about mankind: Why we are who we are? Why we act the way we do?

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The Rock of Civilization and Family-Sex-Gender Systems
• We are all modern .....
• Change and Modernity
• The Bottom-line: Positive or Negative?

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper provides a summary of Göran Therborn's "The World a Beginner's Guide," focusing on the first chapter, "Why we are who we are: A sociocultural geology of today's World." The paper aims to analyze Therborn's explanation of the sociocultural forces that have shaped our current world and to explore the underlying question of why we are who we are.

• The influence of civilization on identity and social structures
• The significance of family-sex-gender systems in shaping societal norms and practices
• The evolution and interaction of different civilizations
• The historical and cultural roots of modern society
• The impact of social and cultural factors on human behavior

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter introduces Therborn's central argument that our present-day world is a product of both the civilizations we are born into and the family-sex-gender systems we are raised within.
• The Rock of Civilization and Family-Sex-Gender Systems: This chapter delves into the five major civilizations - Sinic, Indic, West Asian, European, and Sub-Saharan African - highlighting their unique characteristics and their influence on family structures, gender roles, and social norms. It also discusses two hybrid family systems: Southeast Asian and American Creole.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Key concepts explored in this work include civilization, family-sex-gender systems, social norms, cultural influence, identity, modernity, and the evolution of human society.

• Université: Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (Institut für Soziologie)
• Cours: The World an Introduction
• Note: 1,3
• Auteur: Stefan Raß (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2014
• Pages: 12
• N° de catalogue: V282148
• ISBN (ebook): 9783656769538
• ISBN (Livre): 9783656769668
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Göran, Therborn, The World, Geschichte