A Systematic Assessment of “Axial Age” Proposals Using Global Comparative Historical Evidence

Author:

Mullins Daniel Austin1ORCID,Hoyer Daniel2,Collins Christina3,Currie Thomas3,Feeney Kevin4,François Pieter5,Savage Patrick E.6,Whitehouse Harvey5,Turchin Peter7

Affiliation:

1. University of Oxford and University of London

2. Seshat: Global History Databank and George Brown College

3. University of Exeter

4. Trinity College Dublin

5. University of Oxford

6. Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus

7. University of Connecticut

Abstract

Proponents of the Axial Age contend that parallel cultural developments between 800 and 200 BCE in what is today China, Greece, India, Iran, and Israel-Palestine constitute the global historical turning point toward modernity. The Axial Age concept is well-known and influential, but deficiencies in the historical evidence and sociological analysis available have thwarted efforts to evaluate the concept’s major global contentions. As a result, the Axial Age concept remains controversial. Seshat: Global History Databank provides new tools for examining this topic in social formations across Afro-Eurasia during the first two millennia BCE and first millennium CE, allowing scholars to empirically evaluate the varied and contrasting claims researchers have put forward. Results undercut the notion of a specific “age” of axiality limited to a specific geo-temporal localization. Critical traits offered as evidence of an axial transformation by proponents of the Axial Age concept appeared across Afro-Eurasia hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years prior to the proposed Axial Age. Our analysis raises important questions for future evaluations of this period and points the way toward empirically-led, historical-sociological investigations of the ideological and institutional foundations of complex societies.

Funder

The Evolution Institute

H2020 European Research Council

Templeton World Charity Foundation

John Templeton Foundation

Horizon 2020 Framework Programme

Tricoastal Foundation

Economic and Social Research Council

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Subject

Sociology and Political Science

Cited by 22 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3