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Lecture # 1: An Introduction to World History & Civilization:

Objectives1. To Define the concept ‘history’, ‘Culture’

and ‘Civilization’2. To Discuss the Subject Matter of World

History and Civilization; and3. To Discuss Significance of the Course

to the Students of BBA Program

Presented by Abul Kalam Azad

Senior Lecturer, GED, NUBE-mail: kalamadd@gmail.com

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Definition of History

The word ‘History’ entered the English language in 1390 with the meaning of "relation of incidents, story".

History (from Greek historia, meaning "inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation”) is the study of the human past. Scholars who write about history are called historians. It is a field of research which uses a narrative to examine and analyze the sequence of events, and it sometimes attempts to investigate objectively the patterns of cause and effect that determine events.

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Oxford Advanced learners Dictionary says-“History is the Study of the struggles and achievements of mankind from early times to present time”.

The History we read though based on facts, is, strictly speaking, ‘not factual at all, but a series of accepted judgments’.

So, on the basis of these definitions, it can be said that history is the continuum of events occurring in sequence leading from the past to the present and even into the future

Defining Culture Simply, culture is the way of life for an entire

society such as codes of manners, dress, language, religious beliefs, rituals, norms of behavior, law and morality, arts, cooking and food habits etc.

Broadly speaking, “culture is “the totality of learned” (R. T. Schaefer, Sociology)

The most frequently quoted definition is by Edward Burnett Tylor (1871). He defined culture as:

“that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society."

However, to have a vast knowledge of culture, we need to characterize the term as follows:1. It covers whole things of the society2. It discusses mainly human behavior of a

society3. It is a continuous process4. Culture is a relative things5. Culture is learnt6. Culture is social7. Culture is a stabilizing mechanism8. Culture is shared9. Culture is transmissive10.Culture is consistent and Integrated11.Culture is dynamic and Adaptive12.Culture varies from Society to Society13.Culture is super organic and Ideational

15. Culture is the stock of knowledge16. Culture transfers a man from his animality

to the stage of man17. Culture says how to behave18. Culture helps a man develop his personality

Defining CivilizationThe words 'culture' and 'civilization' have been often used synonymously, though they have clearly defined meanings differentiating them.

'Civilization' means the betterment of ways of living, making nature bend to fulfill the needs of humankind. Many scholars defined the concept.According to MacIver & Page: Civilization is the whole apparatus of life.According to Gillin & Gillin: Civilization is a more complex and evolved form of culture.

Distinction Between Culture & Civilization

Culture CivilizationBoth material & Non-material things e.g., attitudes, behavior, norms , values etc.

Merely Material things e.g., technological equipments

Totality of learned Precise standard

Non-material part of culture (NPC) may not be advancing

Always advancing

NPC may not be borrowed May be borrowed

NPC is internal External

NPC is subjective (what we are)

Objective (what we have)

NPC may not be destroyed May be destroyed

Elements of Culture

Although cultures vary, they all have five common components:

1. Symbols2. Language3. Values4. Beliefs5. Norms

Types of Culture

There are many types of culture from different views. In terms of content, culture may be divided into two categories: material and nonmaterial .

Material culture consists of manmade objects including any kind of tools, machineries, technological equipments.

Non-material culture is the subjective things

like religious beliefs, rituals, values, norms etc.

Other Types of culture

In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture (whether distinct or hidden) which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong. If a particular subculture is characterized by a systematic opposition to the dominant culture, it may be described as a counterculture.

Subject Matter of World History & Civilization

In a general way, the subject matter of world history and civilization is everything that suffers change owing to its existence in time and space. The main subject matter of history is man and their cultures and civilizations.

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Significance of Studying World History & Civilization

1. To know the past story of mankind2. To learn from the mistakes of the ancient

politics.3. To compare the present civilization with

the ancient civilizations.4. To compare the lifestyle between the

ancient people and the modern people. 5. History is for human self knowledge.6. History teaches us ‘man can do what man

has done’.