Veneer Of Civilisation - Softcover

Bringing together politics, psychology, literature and anthropology, the book discusses ways in which the veneer of civilisation can be eroded by events or dramatically torn away. Veneer of Civilisation also considers paradoxes, such as one nation claiming to be the pinnacle of civilisation even as it reduces another to rubble and kills civilians. The impact of the far-right, which exploits the violence of groups like Daesh to justify divisive narratives, is examined in detail. This includes a focus on Anders Breivik and his attempt to spark civil wars across Europe, Jo Cox's killer Thomas Mair, the banned Nazi group National Action, and attempts to re-brand the far-right with the term alt-right . Events in Charlottesville and the far-right embracing Donald Trump as their hero are covered. The paradoxes of technology, in its ability to sustain and drive forward human civilisation, while also sometimes harming, dividing, deceiving and binding societies, are explored. This includes oil's explosive capacity to cause conflict, as well as climate effects, and the possibility that computers are leading to a new feudalism, with the chasm between technology haves and have-nots growing, while the internet has become a hybrid warfare battleground. The value and pitfalls of globalisation and neoliberalism are discussed in the context of notions of utopia and dystopia, and the recognition that one person's heaven can be another's hell.

Will Black is an anthrojournalist with a background working in specialist psychiatric services. His latest book, Veneer of Civilisation, brings together anthropology, politics and psychology to examine vulnerabilities of human civilisation. He is also the author of Psychopathic Cultures and Toxic Empires, which drew on clinical experience and an anthropological perspective, and Beyond the End of the World, which was based on postgraduate research into apocalyptic movements and cults. Will lives in Cambridge and can be found on twitter @WillBlackWriter where he has 95,000 followers.