Civilization and its Narratives

The question of the origins and stages of civilization remains a key focus for contemporary debates about society. Why is this so? Can the notion of "civilization" today still be a useful one? Or should we get rid of it entirely? Drawing on sources and evidence from diverse fields including archaeology, literature, history, and political thought, we will examine the long tradition of hypothetical narratives about the origins and future of "civilization," while also grappling with more contemporary takes on the problem, such as Graeber & Wengrow's recent and bestselling - The Dawn of Civilization.