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REFERENCES
Editor's Notes
Samuel P. Huntington’s ‘Clash of Civilizations’ posits that the end of the Cold War marked the end of conflict over ideological or economic lines. He states that the future of conflict lay in the clash of civilizations which are separated along cultural and religious lines. Huntington boldly states “The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future”.12
According to Huntington the central axis of world politics will be the ‘West vs The Rest’ and there are only three things that non-western countries can do to avoid conflict. 13
1. States can self-isolate to preserve their own culture; however, this is something that only few states can achieve at a high cost.
2. States can ‘band-wagon’ and accept western values.
3. States can attempt to balance western power through modernization. This would be done through political, economic and military alliances with other non-western countries against the west. This would allow non-western countries to preserve their own cultures whilst simultaneously rejecting the claim that western culture is universal.
The September 11 2001 terrorist attacks on American soil served as a reinforcement of Huntington’s clash of civilizations thesis to many, predominantly so in American politics and media. Unfortunately what this does is take away focus from the real causes of terrorism and creates government through politics of fear. It channels Orientalism and creates a distinct “us” and “them”.
The media was also culpable in the portrayal of a clash of civilizations following September 11 terrorist attacks. There was a distinct portrayal of a need to liberate Afghani and Muslim women, women who were portrayed as being oppressed by the Taliban and fundamental Islamists. Imagery and language was used to represent a clash in civilizations in how each culture treats women.
Edward Said wrote a response piece to Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations called Clash of Ignorance in 2003. Said was highly critical of Huntington’s thesis, calling it oversimplified and lacking adequate understanding of Islam and Muslim culture. He is also highly critical of the use of the September 11 2011 terrorist attacks as a reinforcement of Huntington’s thesis17. Said’s response is most reflective of my own personal views towards the clash of civilizations thesis.
