Civility: A Cultural History new book by UPEI Chair of Sociology

Dr. Benet Davetian, Chair of Sociology and Anthropology at UPEI, and Director of the Civility Institute, has just released a major new book entitled Civility: A Cultural History, published by University of Toronto Press.

The topics of civility and incivility are in the forefront of public debate. In today's Western societies, many feel that there has been a marked decrease in mutual consideration in both public and private settings. Are we less civil now than in the past? This 608-page book responds to the question through a historical, social, and psychological discussion of the civility practices in England, France, and the US. It reviews civility from 1200 to the present, offers a multi-dimensional analysis of the psychology of human interaction, and charts a new course for the study and understanding of civility and civil society.

The book has been described as the most comprehensive work on the topic since the publication of Norbert Elias's seminal work, The Civilizing Process. It is written to be useful to academics, upper-division students, and the general public.

"Benet Davetian's scintillating tour-de-force fills a gaping void in the history of ideas…," says Professor P.M. Forni of the Johns Hopkins Civility Initiative.

"Civility: A Cultural History is a tour-de-force: a work of dazzling scholarship on this core concept of our social life, ranging from the Middle Ages to the present, and covering France, England, and the United States…Davetian is as much at home with 'The Art of Courtly Love,' the Enlightenment, the rise of individualism, the Victorian gentleman and gentlewoman, as with contemporary teens and narcissism. It's absolutely fascinating," says Anthony Synnott, Professor of Sociology at Concordia University.

'Impressive in both scope and depth, this engaging book is an innovative and substantial dialogue on the concept of civility. Well documented and erudite, it not only historicizes the development of civility but also grounds it in today's society, offering a renewed perspective on crucial issues such as multiculturalism. I read Civility with great pleasure,' says Jean-François Côté, professor of Sociology at Université du Québec à Montréal.

Civility: A Cultural History is available in most university libraries. It is being distributed through major websites such as Amazon.com. Locally, it is sold through the UPEI Bookstore.