The Encyclopedia
of World Problems
& Human Potential

Historical rootlessness

Name(s):

Loss of historical roots as an operating context

Confusion through being detached from the past

Obscured community history

Untransmitted local history

Disrelated social background

Claim

In the area of individual integrity, the loss of an awareness of the past as a helpful operating context has left people without anchoring foundations from which to act when dealing either with the complexities of the future or with the ambiguities of the present. They flounder in a universe of relative values, seeing little depth to life. This apparently leaves only two options open: revolt against the social structures that are crushing individuality; or retreat into a view of the world in which they see themselves as victims of societal and psychological forces.

Broader

Loss of cultural heritage

Excessive population mobility

Deteriorating community identity

Narrower

Deculturation

Lost family heritage

Lack of individual historical context

Unadapted significance of cultural tradition

Aggravates

Confusion

Anachronism ^{[in 2 loops]}

Moral pretension

Historical naivety ^{[in 4 loops]}

Defensive life stance ^{[in 4 loops]}

Sense of impermanence ^{[in 1 loop]}

Community demoralization ^{[in 3 loops]}

Attenuation of group relationships ^{[in 1 loop]}

Unmeaningful relationships to place ^{[in 2 loops]}

Commemoration of dishonourable historical events ^{[in 4 loops]}

Aggravated by

Obsolete basis of cultural identity

Dismissal of past cultural achievements

Unethical practice in historical disciplines

Reduced by

Preoccupation with historical symbolism

Strategy(ies)

Remembering lessons of history

Maintaining common community memory

Putting down roots

Relating social background

Type

(F) Fuzzy exceptional problems

About the Encyclopedia

The Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential is a unique, experimental research work of the Union of International Associations. It is currently published as a searchable online platform with profiles of world problems, action strategies, and human values that are interlinked in novel and innovative ways. These connections are based on a range of relationships such as broader and narrower scope, aggravation, relatedness and more. By concentrating on these links and relationships, the Encyclopedia is uniquely positioned to bring focus to the complex and expansive sphere of global issues and their interconnected nature.

The initial content for the Encyclopedia was seeded from UIA’s Yearbook of International Organizations. UIA’s decades of collected data on the enormous variety of association life provided a broad initial perspective on the myriad problems of humanity. Recognizing that international associations are generally confronting world problems and developing action strategies based on particular values, the initial content was based on the descriptions, aims, titles and profiles of international associations.

About UIA

The Union of International Associations (UIA) is a research institute and documentation centre, based in Brussels. It was established in 1907, by Henri la Fontaine (Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1913), and Paul Otlet, a founding father of what is now called information science.

Non-profit, apolitical, independent, and non-governmental in nature, the UIA has been a pioneer in the research, monitoring and provision of information on international organizations, international associations and their global challenges since 1907.

www.uia.org

You are here

Historical rootlessness

About the Encyclopedia

About UIA