Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5673/sip.60.1.1
The Decay of Empire 2.0: A Contribution to the Cultural-Historical Sociology of Space
Vjeran Katunarić
Abstract
On the occasion of the invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022, this paper analyses the
cultural-historical aspects of the destruction of space in the context of the rise and fall of empires.
At the same time, the Palace of Versailles was taken as a first-class example of the imperial
cultural-symbolic space which interrupts the temporal continuity of society, erases the future,
and establishes a mythical-religious space dedicated to the glorification of the monarchy. The
author also points out the similarities between wartime destruction of space, descriptions of
the creation of the world in Abrahamic religions, the Big Bang model, and artificially executed
nuclear explosion. These modalities of space destruction cumulatively call into question the
survival of man and planetary life. Instead of concluding, the author sees the future in a different
light, deconstructing the principle of anthropic, as a remnant of geo-centrism and colonialism,
according to which the universe was created to benefit man (in terms of a critical sociology:
the most powerful social groups). The author, therefore, proposes the introduction of a
cosmic dimension in the analysis of the living space of society, as part of the infinity in which
communities based on renewable energy sources, the joy of life, peace, and equality revolve.
Keywords
empires; spaces; Castle of Versailles; myth; cosmic dimension; future
Hrčak ID:
278619
URI
Publication date:
2.6.2022.
Visits: 1.285 *