Are civilisations myths? The power of words in international relations

The fourth lecture in the series ‘A World in Crisis, Civilisations in Narratives’, organised by BULAC, the Bibliothèque publique d’information and INALCO, and its DÉCRIPT programme (AMI-SHS).
Street art village bulgare Staro Zhelezare
Street art village bulgare Staro Zhelezare © Veluly, Flickr‎

The term ‘civilisation’ seems ubiquitous in international relations today, from Donald Trump’s threat to wipe out Iranian civilisation overnight to China’s ambition to build an ecological civilisation. These uses of the term ‘civilisation’ raise questions about the relationship between myth and reality, both domestically and in international relations. They challenge the performative power of words and language, which political actors rely on to shape and legitimise relations between states and the violence within them. Bringing together historians and political scientists, this concluding session of the first year of the ‘World in Crisis, Civilisations in Narratives’ series will examine the role of myths surrounding the concept of civilisation in power relations.

Featuring:

  • Sophie Bessis, historian

  • Anne Lehoërff, archaeologist (CY Cergy Paris University)

  • Olivier Mannoni, essayist and translator

  • Session moderated by Nassim El Kabli (France Culture) 

This conference will be held in French.

This series is organised as part of the DÉCRIPT research programme, which receives state funding administered by the National Research Agency under the France 2030 scheme (ANR-24-RSHS-0002).&