Cultures in Conflict? Re-evaluating the 'Clash of Civilizations' Thesis After 9/11

Abstract

In this chapter, the author finds that ultimately Samuel Huntington's thesis remains unsatisfactory, and that analysis of the evolving post-September 11 security environment lends greater weight to classical realist explanations than it does a true clash of civilizations. It also argues that Huntington is correct in identifying culture as a motivating force for conflict on the intra-state level of analysis, and that a clash of cultures remains possible if Europe, the US, and the Middle East unwisely interpret their interests in cultural/civilizational terms. The chapter begins by briefly examining the relationship between culture and power, before moving on to consider whether 9/11 has resulted in policy shifts in Europe and the US conducive to a civilizational clash, taking into account issues of identity, interests, and alliances. The disunity in Islamic civilization is also linked to pragmatic issues relating to national interests and power.