Here is the class presentation for Lecture 3

and the link to the documentary series "Дорога в школу" (Sur le chemin de l'école or Way(s) to School")

1) Please watch an excellent film "The Gods Must Be Crazy" - you can also watch it in Russian (("Наверное, боги сошли с ума") here on the website or ВКонтакте) and prepare to comment on it in light of our conversation about culture and civilization, their relationship, and different approaches to describing this relationship. What do you think the film makers were trying to  tell us about culture and civilization? Do you agree with them? Why or why not?

2) Please read a short excerpt from an article by Григорий Померанц about culture in general and modern culture in particular (download it here). How would you describe this approach to the issue of culture and civilization? Do you agree with it? Why or why not? You can find out more about Григорий Померанц и Зинаида Миркина here.

3) if you haven't yet handed in your research project on Geert Hofstede's dimensions of cultrure, please do so and either bring printout to class or send it to your teacher at: estson@gmail.com

For extra fun and learning:

• Here you can download and listen a (totally fascinating!) 20-minute excerpt from a lecture by Alexander Men' (Александр Мень) where he deliberates on entropy in physics and human society, about human culture in its relationship to the animal world, and about modern civilization and its values (Курс лекций по Ветхому Завету был прочитан о. Александром весной 1990 г. в МГИАИ.)
• You can also listen to Samuel Huntington himself talk about his ideas on the clash of civilization and also listen to a short presentation about Vernadsky's noosphere (in Russian)
• To reflect further on the relationship between culture and civilization, please read an excerpt from an article and talk by Dr. Melba Maggay (The Philippines) "Как мы живем сейчас" or, for instance, watch the film "Witness" to learn more about the Amish culture and its interaction with the mainstream culture of the United States.