Culture in the Age of Three Worlds Research Paper

Annotated Bibliography Assignment
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Annotated Bibliography Assignment
An annotated bibliography is a form of research that entails an analysis of different sources on a particular topic. The main purpose of this study is to compare the different information in the sources to help in the research. Culture is an important aspect of the society because it refers to the norms and practices of a particular community or group. Culture differs across borders hence making it a diverse aspect of the communities. The manner in which one source articulates about culture might differ from another source commenting on the same topic. This annotated bibliography paper analyses four sources on the topic of culture. The paper contains a summary of the sources and comments on the various issues outlines and those that the authors may have failed to analyze.
Denning, Michael. Culture in the Age of Three Worlds. London [u.a.: Verso, 2004. Print.
This book is very resourceful when it comes to matters concerning culture in the society that we are living. The author focuses on the different dimensions of culture that are explained in the three phases of the world. This refers to the first, second, and third phases that the world rose. The author states that culture was all over the world during the half of the twentieth century. He further claims that the political and intellectual life was run by culture. This is the period when the world was divided into three, the capitalist, which was the first period, the communist that comes second, and the decolonizing. Michael argues that the end of each period gave rise to another culture until the present today. The author's claims are evident because the society that we are living is not similar to that which our parents and grandparents lived before. However, it is important to note that the author's notion of culture does not only refer to the ancient practices but also the emerging and trending cultures that have been embraced from one period to another. He provides a culture in the three categories mentioned above and tries to provide an analysis of the same to establish some of the differences existing. The source argues that the half century was a period that was characterized by ancient culture as opposed to the twentieth century that is characterized by some modern culture. In brief, this source does not talk about any particular cultural group but provides insight on the dimensions of culture from different periods.
Sahlins, Marshall D. Culture, and Practical Reason. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago P, 1976. Print.
Marshall's argument on culture is based on a critique of the primitive and modern culture. He dismisses the concept that practical reason can be used to define human actions. Symbols are very significant because they aid in explaining culture in the society that we are living. Marshall also critiques some of the works of other historians like Marx. One of the main argument that he focuses on is that modern is to the economy while primitive represents the symbol. Sahlins encourages the dialog of common sense and social reason in the second section by differentiating the anthropologies of Morgan and Boas. Viable reason considers the soci...