On Civilisation: A Public Lecture Series with Dr Eric Lybeck at The Engine Room, Wayfarers Arcade, Southport
This 12-part series explores the concept of civilization as a dynamic and interconnected process. Using carefully selected case studies, the series examines the intersections of trade, power, cultural exchange, and ecological adaptation. It critiques the encyclopedic ambitions of Western civilization and its limitations while highlighting alternative frameworks for understanding and organizing society.
Each month on the second Thursday we will meet at 5 for an informal discussion over sherry and a background screening of Kenneth Clark's 'Civilisation' series. At 6, our lecture will begin and should end between 7 and 7:30 - guest can linger indefinitely as the Engine Room bar will remain open until 10pm at least.
Every lecture will be recorded and posted on YouTube so if you've missed previous content you can catch up online. Email
Y2l2ZWRjaWMgfCBnbWFpbCAhIGNvbQ== to gain access to these recordings. It is also not essential that you have attended prior lectures as each should stand on its own.
About the lecturer:
The series has been developed by Dr Eric Lybeck, an historical sociologist by training, having researched at the University of Cambridge the history of 19th century politics, culture and society in Germany and the United States. In a Leverhulme Trust postdoctoral fellowship begun at the University of Exeter, then completed as part of a Presidential Fellowship at the University of Manchester, he researched the origins of British 'redbrick' universities. He has published several books that tackle the question of 'why does everyone now go to university?'. Noting the many unintended consequences of this unprecedented change in how adulthood, work, places and knowledge are organised, Lybeck's academic practice has shifted to engage more directly with public audiences - following in the footsteps of historical precedents including settlement houses, university extension courses and public lecture series.
No prior knowledge assumed, but we will jump straight in the 'deep end' so-to-speak - the only expectation is that you bring an open-mind and an interest in understanding our world past, present and future.
More information about Dr Lybeck's work can be reviewed here:
https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/eric.lybeck
About the series:
On Civilisation
Schedule
13 February: What is Civilization? A Framework for Understanding
Explore the contested definitions of civilization, critique Eurocentric narratives, and reframe civilization as an adaptive, relational system shaped by trade, power, and culture.
13 March: Ritual, Movement, and the Foundations of Society
Investigate the role of ritual, collective memory, and ecological adaptation in early societies, challenging the narrative that agriculture was the sole foundation of civilization.
10 April: Christianity and Spiritual Responses to Empire
Examine Christianity’s rise as a response to imperial contradictions, comparing it to Ethiopian and Ashanti spiritual traditions as frameworks for resistance and cohesion.
8 May: The Abbasid Caliphate and the House of Wisdom
Discover the Abbasid Caliphate’s role as a hub of intellectual exchange and knowledge preservation, and its influence on global intellectual traditions.
12 June: The Venetian Republic, Southeast Asia, and Global Trade Empires
Analyze the rise of global trade empires, focusing on Venice’s maritime dominance, Southeast Asia’s cultural crossroads, and the ecological costs of extractive trade systems.
10 July: The Ecology of Civilizations: Balancing Nature and Society
Explore how civilizations have managed their relationships with nature, examining successes and failures in ecological sustainability and societal resilience.
14 August: Absolutism, Trading States, and Ecclesiastical Power
Trace the evolution of state-citizen relationships in Europe, highlighting absolutist monarchies, trading states, and the Catholic Church’s transnational influence.
11 September: The Machinery of States: Bureaucracy and Power
Investigate the development of bureaucratic systems in Prussia, China, and Japan, and their roles in enabling state centralization and modernization.
9 October: Industrial Transformation and Its Consequences
Examine the Industrial Revolution’s transformative impact on global production and power, as well as its environmental and social consequences.
13 November: Consumerism, Affluence, and the Crisis of Modernity
Explore the rise of consumerism and the affluent society, addressing its ecological and existential crises while imagining a transition to generative systems.
12 December: Limits of Control: Militarism, Ecology, and Peace
Assess the social and ecological costs of militarism and explore peace as a framework for harmonized human and ecological relations.
9 January: Toward a Generative Society: Lessons from History and Principles for the Future
Synthesize lessons from the series to propose a framework for transitioning to a sustainable, self-conscious civilization based on relational growth and collective well-being.
Detailed reading lists and notes available on request. Email
Y2l2ZWRjaWMgfCBnbWFpbCAhIGNvbQ==
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