Culture of Crisis and Extinction: Idealism and Ideology Expressed in Arts and Architectural Forms - Hardcover

by Kim Thu Le (Author)

Culture of Crisis and Extinction: Idealism and Ideology Expressed in Arts and Architectural Forms explores the mythology of cultures in crisis, tracing the symptoms that lead to their destruction and eventual extinction. Through a comprehensive range of research methods and strategies tailored to each fieldwork project, this book investigates cultural phenomena across various environments. It uncovers significant historical meanings that are often hidden or absent from mainstream publications.

By analyzing cultural transitions through economic, political, and ethnic lenses across Europe and Asia, the book provides an in-depth examination of collective action and the root causes of cultural crises. Spanning six chapters, it identifies the myths surrounding cultural conflicts and crises of extinction, challenging the assumption that poverty and suffering are definitive indicators of such crises. Instead, it presents cultural extinction as a gradual process stemming from a culture's failure to adapt to its changing environment.

The book considers how injustice, economic misalignment, and systemic inequalities-such as unnecessary poverty, illness, and religious discrimination-contribute to cultural collapse. When these injustices become ingrained within a society's institutions, the eventual disappearance of the culture becomes inevitable unless transformative change is initiated.