UNIVERSITY MOHAMED KHIDER OF BISKRA

FACULTY OF LETTERS AND LANGUAGES

DEPARTEMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
FIELD OF ENGLISH

MODULE: CULTURE OF THE LANGUAGE SEMESTER ONE: STUDYING CULTURE

LEVEL: L1 /2018-2019 CULTURE THE 5TH SKILL
TEACHER: M. BECHAR COURSE N°: 05

CIVILIZATIONS OF THE WORLD

Introduction
A civilization is the highest cultural grouping of people (after nationalities, ethnic groups,
and religious groups) and the broadest level of cultural identity people have. For example, a
typical resident of Spain can define herself/himself as being Spanish, Catholic, Christian,
European, and Western. Western civilization, to which the Spanish resident belongs, is the
broadest level of identification with which s/he identifies. A civilization distinguishes humans
from other species.
Civilization represents an advanced stage of human development characterized by a high
level of art, religion, science, and social and political organizational development. Each
civilization encompasses many nations, political units, governments, and states. The key cultural
elements, which define a civilization, are the blood, language, history, religion, way of life,
worldviews, social structures, institutions, and self- identification of its people.

Civilizations evolve through time, adapt, appear and disappear, and are the most
enduring of human associations. Civilizations differ in size and importance. A civilization
may involve a very large number of people, such as Chinese, or very small number, such as
the former Cretan civilization (Crete). There are major and peripheral civilizations. People
can change their identities and thus the composition and shape of civilizations.

Today at least 12 civilizations have been identified, seven of which no longer exist
(Mesopotamia, Pharaohs, Cretan, Byzantine, Middle American, Andean) and five of which do
(Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Islamic, and Western). In the contemporary world, to these five
civilizations we add Orthodox, Latin America and African Civilization.

1
 The World’s Eight Major Civilizations

Civilization Characteristics Nations

The common culture
A distinct Chinese civilization dating back to
of China, southeast
1500 B.C. and perhaps a thousand years
Asia, cultures of
Sinic earlier. Although this civilization in often
Vietnam, Korea,
labeled “Confucian”, it encompasses more
Singapore, and
than Confucianism.
Taiwan…

Japanese Distinct civilization which was the offspring Japan

of Chinese civilization, emerging during the
period between 100 and 400 A.D

Hindu Existed on the Subcontinent since at least India, Nepal

1500 B.C, referred to as Indian, Indic or
Hindu; the core of Indian civilization.
North Africa, Iberian
Originates in the Arabian peninsula in the 7th peninsula, Central
century A.D. Many distinct cultures of Asia, Southeast Asia,
sub-civilization exist within Islam, including cultures of
Arab, Turkish, Persian, and Malay… Afghanistan,
Islamic Albania, Azerbaijan,
Bangladesh
Malaysia, Maldives,
Pakistan, Somalia,
parts of India…
Armenia, Bulgaria,
Orthodox Centered in Russia and Slavic countries. Greece, Romania
and Russia…

Offspring of European civilization, different Mexico,

from Europe and North America, Central America,
Latin American incorporates indigenous cultures, which Peru, Bolivia,
vary in importance; often considered as a Argentina, Chile…
sub- civilization within western civilization
or a separate civilization affiliated with the
west.
Europe,
Western Historically, it is European civilization. In North America,
the modern era it is Euro-American or North Australia,
Atlantic civilization. New Zealand…
South Africa is
African Most scholars do not recognize distinct possibly the core state.
African civilization.