1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910818900003321

Autore

Hall John A. <1949->

Titolo

The importance of being civil [[electronic resource] ] : the struggle for political decency / / John A. Hall

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Princeton, NJ, : Princeton University Press, 2013

ISBN

1-299-44950-6

1-4008-4749-4

Edizione

[Course Book]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (277 p.)

Disciplina

303.3/72

Soggetti

Social ethics

Civil society

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Part One: A Composite Definition -- Chapter 1. Agreeing to Differ -- Chapter 2. Sympathy and Deception -- Chapter 3. How Best to Rule -- Chapter 4. Entry and Exit -- Chapter 5. Intelligence in States -- Part Two: Enemies -- Chapter 6. Down with Authenticity -- Chapter 7. The Disenchantment of the Intellectuals -- Chapter 8. The Problem with Communism -- Chapter 9. The Destruction of Trust -- Chapter 10. Imperialism, the Perversion of Nationalism -- Conclusion -- Index

Sommario/riassunto

Civility is desirable and possible, but can this fragile ideal be guaranteed? The Importance of Being Civil offers the most comprehensive look at the nature and advantages of civility throughout history and in our world today. Esteemed sociologist John Hall expands our understanding of civility as related to larger social forces-including revolution, imperialism, capitalism, nationalism, and war-and the ways that such elements limit the potential for civility.Combining wide-ranging historical and comparative evidence with social and moral theory, Hall examines how the nature of civility has fluctuated in the last three centuries, how it became lost, and how it was reestablished in the twentieth century following the two world wars. He also considers why civility is currently breaking down and what can be done to mitigate this threat.The Importance of Being Civil is a decisive and



sophisticated addition to the discussion of civility in its modern cultural and historical contexts.