This is a provocative and timely contribution to the debate on civilization, modernity and postmodernity. It argues that modernity never jettisoned barbarism - instead barbarism was repackaged in new traditions and cultures.

Chapter 1 How to comprehend barbarism in the midst of enlightenment; Chapter 2 Methodological and empirical issues in perceiving modern barbarism; Chapter 3 Barbarism and the idea of progress; Chapter 4 Finding a ground for discourse; Chapter 5 Choosing philosophical trajectories regarding barbarism; Chapter 6 Deconstructing the problem of social order; Chapter 7 Moving beyond hermeneutics; Chapter 8 Reconstructing homo duplex; Chapter 9 Civilized barbarism: the nature of psychic wounds; Chapter 10 Barbarism and human agency; Chapter 11 Conclusions;