Uncivilised

A science historian explores ten founding ideas of Western civilisation and unearths their flaws

By: Subhadra Das

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Paperback | 6 February 2025 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
304 Pages

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19.8 x 12.8 x 1.7

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'Witty and accessible' ANGELA SAINI

'A vital piece of work' ROMA AGRAWAL

'Stunning' DAN HICKS

Knowledge is power. Time is money. Justice is blind.

Western civilisation is a powerful brand, and full of accepted wisdoms like these that we rarely question. Taking cues from Greek philosophy and honed in the Enlightenment, certain notions about humanity and society grew into the tenets many of us still live by today.

But if we take a closer look at these ideas, it seems they are not all they are cracked up to be. In fact, some of them are outright lies - and we can start to ask who really benefits from them. What is the value of a scientific worldview that conjured up 'race'? Are the Western concepts of 'saving' and 'wasting' time really the best ways to live? Who are our laws actually designed to serve? And the real question: is the West as civilised as it likes to think it is?

In an age of division and entrenched inequality, Uncivilised is a timely, provocative and entertaining counter to the ideas and assumptions that have shaped the West, exposing the fatal flaws at its core.

Industry Reviews

A coruscating critique of Western civilisation . . . [Das's] personal and academic background makes her uniquely qualified to call out the 'lies' that underpin the West . . . A talented writer with much to say - BBC History Magazine

A witty and accessible survey of the shortcomings of western civilisation as many people imagine it

A vital piece of work in our challenging times that reminds us of the rich history and influences outside the West. Das writes with passion and humour to open our eyes to the history that has shaped our world

A stunning debut. Subhadra Das shows how a word - civilisation - became a lie . . . Clearly and passionately, Uncivilised shows us how to begin to dispel such enduring untruths - with seriousness and humour in equal measure

Using a fast-paced mixture of memoir, historical analysis and zingers, Das asks how well the Western world has lived up to the ideals it has set for itself, from impartial justice to the scientific method

Das traces the lies coiled serpent-like around the foundations of Western 'civilisation' with wit and elan, in a paradigm-shifting yet highly accessible tome. If there's one book you read this year, let it be this

Uncivilised will make the intelligent reader question everything they thought they knew, in the best possible way. Clever, funny and shrewd - everyone who cares about ideas needs to read this book

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