The word barbarian is derived from the Greek term 'barbaroi' - or one who cannot speak Greek. As the Greeks believed that language was the tool of reason, non-Greek speakers, therefore, were considered devoid of the facility to reason or to act according to logic. This concept of barbarism in turn shaped the early anthropological observations of Columbus and the first European visitors to the Americas. Barbaric Others examines the convenient myopia which through the ages has allowed - and continues to allow - the West to see other peoples as 'barbarians', infidels, even `savages'. In the book, the authors present a succinct history of racism, xenophobia and the concept of 'otherness' from ancient Greece to the present day. Topics covered include the representation of the `other' in mythology, the mediaeval fascination with demons and the idea of the wild man, a critical overview of Columbus and 15th century exploration and the 'other' as colonial subject.

Ziauddin Sardar is Visiting Professor of Science Policy at Middlesex University and consulting editor of the prestigious journal Futures. He is a prolific writer and is the author of Cultural Studies for Beginners, Barbaric Others: A Manifesto on Western Racism and editor, with Jerome Ravetz, of Cyberfutures: Culture and Politics on the Information Superhighway.