ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Huntington Article - Clash of Civilizations?
- Fundamental source of conflict in the new world will be the great division among humans caused
by different cultures
→ the clash of civilizations will dominate global politics
- The division of the world into First, Second, Third is no longer relevant
→ more important to group countries in terms of their culture & civilization
- A civilization is a cultural entity; the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of
cultural identity people have, it distinguishes humans from other species
- World will be shaped by the interactions of 7 or 8 major civilizations in the future
→ cultural identity will be increasingly more important
- Civilizations are differentiated by: history, religion, language, culture, tradition
- As interactions between civilizations is increasing, the consciousness & awareness of differences
between civilizations is increasing as well
- The processes of economic modernization and social change throughout the world are separating
people from long standing local identities, and weaken the nation state as a source of identity,
therefore making world religion fill this gap of identity (e.g. fundamentalist movements)
→ “the desecularization of the world”
- The growth of civilization-consciousness is enhanced by the dual role of the west (non-Western
states see the west in an ambivalent way)
→ de-westernization and indigenization of elites is occurring in many non-Western countries
- Cultural characteristics and differences are less mutable and hence less easily compromised and
resolved than political and economic ones
- Economic regionalism is increasing
→ common culture is clearly facilitating the rapid expansion of the economic relations between
Chinese communities in Asian countries & non-Arab Muslim countries
- “Us” vs. “them” attitude is likely to increase as identity starts to be defined in religious and ethnic
terms, which could lead to a division in policy issues, political support, military
Clash of civilizations occurs at two levels:
- Fundamental source of conflict in the new world will be the great division among humans caused
by different cultures
→ the clash of civilizations will dominate global politics
- The division of the world into First, Second, Third is no longer relevant
→ more important to group countries in terms of their culture & civilization
- A civilization is a cultural entity; the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of
cultural identity people have, it distinguishes humans from other species
- World will be shaped by the interactions of 7 or 8 major civilizations in the future
→ cultural identity will be increasingly more important
- Civilizations are differentiated by: history, religion, language, culture, tradition
- As interactions between civilizations is increasing, the consciousness & awareness of differences
between civilizations is increasing as well
- The processes of economic modernization and social change throughout the world are separating
people from long standing local identities, and weaken the nation state as a source of identity,
therefore making world religion fill this gap of identity (e.g. fundamentalist movements)
→ “the desecularization of the world”
- The growth of civilization-consciousness is enhanced by the dual role of the west (non-Western
states see the west in an ambivalent way)
→ de-westernization and indigenization of elites is occurring in many non-Western countries
- Cultural characteristics and differences are less mutable and hence less easily compromised and
resolved than political and economic ones
- Economic regionalism is increasing
→ common culture is clearly facilitating the rapid expansion of the economic relations between
Chinese communities in Asian countries & non-Arab Muslim countries
- “Us” vs. “them” attitude is likely to increase as identity starts to be defined in religious and ethnic
terms, which could lead to a division in policy issues, political support, military
Clash of civilizations occurs at two levels:
