Clash of Civilisation Flashcards
What is the main argument of Huntington’s article, “The Clash of Civilisations”?
It argues that cultural and civilizational differences will be the primary source of conflict in the post-Cold War world. It posits that the great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural.
How does Huntington define civilisation?
A civilization is defined as a cultural entity encompassing villages, regions, ethnic groups, nationalities, and religious groups.
In his view there are 9 civilisation: Western, Orthodox, Islamic, Latin American, African, Sinic, Hindu, Buddhist and Japanese
According to Huntington, why might civilisations clash?
- The differences among the civilisations are basic stemming from history, culture and religion.
- As world interactions increase so does the amplification and awareness of these differences.
- Modernisation has made the nation-state a redundant factor of identity, and the revival of religion is filling that void
- ‘De-Westernisation’ vs “Westernisation’
- Cultural characteristics are less adaptable and resolved than political/economic ones
What does Huntington say about religious conflict?
Huntington argues that religious conflict arises along the bloody “fault lines” between civilizations, particularly where different religions meet.
Such as the 1,300 years of antagonism between Islam and the West, or Muslims and Hindus in Asia
What is ‘Kin-Country Syndrome’, according to Huntington?
According to Huntington, “kin-country syndrome” is when states or groups involved in conflict seek support from others within their own civilization.
*In the Gulf War, some Arabs supported Saddam Hussein because they viewed the conflict as a clash between civilizations.
*In the former Soviet Union, ethnic and linguistic groups, like the Turkish population, supported each other based on shared civilizational ties.
This shows how cultural and civilizational identities influence alliances during conflicts.
What challenges does the West face from other civilizations, and how do non-Western states respond to Western influence, according to Huntington?
The West faces challenges from other civilizations in economic, security, and political institutions. Non-Western states respond to Western influence in three ways:
- Isolating themselves from Western influence.
- Joining the West by accepting its values and institutions.
- Balancing the West by developing their own economic and military power.
What are Huntington’s recommendations for the West in response to increasing civilization consciousness and global conflict?
Huntington recommends the West should:
- Promote cooperation and unity within its own civilization.
- Limit the military expansion of others, like Confucian and Islamic states.
- Foster cooperative relations with Russia and Japan.
- Strengthen international institutions that reflect and legitimize non-Western interests and values.
- Understand the religious and philosophical assumptions of other civilizations.
Inglehart and Norris challenges Huntington in their article, “The true clash of civilisations”. What is their core argument?
The authors challenge Samuel Huntington’s thesis that the primary conflict between the West and the Muslim world is over political values.
Instead they argue that while both Western and Muslim societies support democracy, the real conflict lies in differing views on gender equality and sexual liberalization.
What do Inglehart and Norris state about Democracy outside the West?
That it is widely supported and not a uniquely Western concept
What do Inglehart and Norris state is the real clash of civilisations?
The “real clash of civilizations” lies in the differing values regarding gender equality and sexual liberalization between the West and the Muslim world.
The central argument is that the primary cultural division between the West and Islam is not about democracy but about gender equality and sexual liberation - “sexual clash of civilisation”
According to Inglehart and Norris, gender equality is an indicator of?
A society’s commitment to gender equality and sexual liberalization is a strong indicator of its support for principles of tolerance and egalitarianism.
What does Inglehart and Norris note about economic development and its correlation to changing attitude?
The article notes that economic development and modernization tend to bring changes in gender roles and social attitudes.
Industrialization brings more women into the workforce, and as societies modernize, gender equality tends to increase.
How does Inglehart and Norris critique the promotion of Western Democracy?
The article argues that the West cannot expect to establish democracy in the Muslim world by simply imposing democratic institutions. It suggests that a real commitment to democratic reform requires a willingness to foster human development.
There are many critiques of Huntington’s thesis, one of which is Inglehart and Norris’s article. Name two other critiques.
- Overemphasis on inter-civilisational conflict
- The clash of emotions
Explain the critique of Overemphasis on inter-Civilisational Conflict
Fouad Ajami argues that Huntington overemphasises conflicts between civilisations when intra-civilisational conflicts can be equally violent, and that Huntington’s overlooks the role of state interests in international conflicts
