uncivilized

Uncivilized is an adjective used to describe persons, groups, or societies perceived as lacking civilization or not conforming to what a particular observer considers advanced. The term is value-laden and historically ethnocentric, and it has been used to justify imperial or missionary projects, governance, or social interventions.

Etymology and framing: The verb civilize comes from Latin civilis and related roots, with “uncivilized” entering English in the early modern period. In Enlightenment and colonial discourse, the term framed cultural difference as a hierarchy, positioning some societies as more or less developed according to prevailing Western standards.

Criticism and alternatives: In anthropology and history, the uncivilized binary is criticized as oversimplified and ethnocentric, masking diversity in social structures and cultural practices. Scholars favor precise descriptions based on observed attributes—social organization, economy, politics, technology, or literacy—or culturally relativistic language that avoids sweeping judgments about entire populations.

Contemporary usage: The term is often avoided in scholarly writing due to its pejorative and dehumanizing connotations. When used, it should be clearly defined and restricted to specific practices, institutions, or modes of organization, rather than applied to whole groups or societies.

See also: Related concepts include civilization, barbarism, ethnocentrism, modernization theory, and cultural relativism.