Summary
Samuel Huntington article has established the importance of cultural and religious identity as the primary source of conflict in the modern world. According to Huntington, there is a shift in global power from the West to other parts of the world owing to these cultural identities. In this case, countries or nation states with the same cultural identities are coming together to revitalize their political and economic ideologies. The article notes that nations with different cultural identities are more likely to have escalated conflicts as compared to those nation-states with similar cultural identities. Overall, the article asserts that nation states are shifting their attention to their cultural and civilizational identities to deal and shape the patterns of conflict, disintegration, and cohesion. It is for this reason that nations like North and South Korea are up for merging or why Yugoslav broke away from Bosnia. The article concludes that cultural identities will be the ultimate decider as to where the loyalty of nations will lie in the future.
Defense of Huntington’s Argument
Huntington’s argument that the organization of conflict will follow cultural-religious divisions in shaping the world’s economic and political agenda is right on point. The article uses credible examples to establish the power that lies within one's cultural identity or cultural civilization. Technically, one’s cultural identity is deeply ingrained and as such cannot be denounced as opposed to one’s political or economic ideology, which is a making of the larger society. The argument is highly rational considering that individuals must be set apart from others if their cause is to be believable or justifiable. The author gives the examples of the Mexicans in the US who in spite of being part of this country, self-identify as Mexicans. It is only when they revert to their cultural identity that they are able to advance their need for more inclusivity. Naturally, the Americans have their own ideologies, which do not fit within the Mexicans ideologies. By setting themselves apart, the Mexican immigrants established the power that lies within their culture. Huntington claims that individuals must be ready to identify with their culture if they are to advance their respective causes.
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The post-Cold War world is experiencing a shift in power from the West to the East something that has been possible due to cultural civilizations. Huntington notes that China and Koreas are uniting since they have cultural affinities and commonalities. This form of cultural unification then means that the varied eastern countries are going towards achieving an exponential economic growth thus overshadowing the West. This argument is affirmed by Baker who establishes that nation states are no longer competing in term of economic or political ideologies but rater on their cultural identities. The nations are ready to defend their cultural civilizations as this is the most defining and evident quality that can stand conflicting ideologies. The author establishes that these cultural commonalities will prevail in shaping the nations antagonisms interests and associations. The readers will agree with the article especially after considering how power is shifting owing to these cultural civilizations and identities.
Article Critique
The article has clearly established the role of cultural-religious divisions when it comes to shaping the conflicts related to global political and economic agenda. However, the article has a few shortcomings in that it rides on vague notions and assertions. Huntington asserted that the fault lines that are evident between various civilizations are because of political and social values. In asserting this, Huntington claims that there is an interaction between seven to eight major civilizations but concentrates only on the West and Islam civilizations. By focusing mainly on two civilizations Huntington has failed in painting the bigger picture on the role of cultural identities in shaping conflict. Additionally, Huntington has introduced bias by demonizing Islam by showing the relationship between Islam and violence. Huntington asserts that ‘Islam has bloody borders’ following the numerous intra-Islamic and extra-Islamic conflicts and violence. It is important to note that Huntington is guilty of advocating for the importance of cultural identity yet denounces it when it comes to policies on immigration. According to Huntington, the US ought to tighten its immigration policies and assimilate immigrants to enhance civilizational coherence. In spite of this call, Huntington, advocates for Americanization which then will disfavor multiculturalism as it is deemed to weaken the American creed. From this assertion, one can already conclude that Huntington is not consistent with his theory of civilizations.
Huntington’s article The Clash of Civilizations can be considered as a self-fulfilling prophecy owing to the various predictions and assertions that he makes. The reader can make out that his thesis is purposeful as it is intended to fuel an enmity discourse between various nation states. In this case, Huntington thesis shifts attention from the global and domestic issues towards American wars which are aimed at increasing its supremacy. Technically, this thesis causes the occurrence of the anticipated events thus verifying its own accuracy by creating misconceptions which trigger conflicts among civilizations. Some critics feel that Huntington’s thesis has immoral implications as it is intended to serve particular ulterior interests. In this case, one would establish that this thesis was purposefully written to influence the US defense and foreign policy considering that Huntington was the advisor to the Pentagon in 1994. One of the things that stand out here is Huntington’s declaration of the possibility of the III World war something that resonates with the US arms industry owing to the increased Islamic threat.
Bibliography
Ashraf. M. Tahir. “The Clash of Civilizations? A Critique,” Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences. 32, no. 2 (2012): 521-527.
Barker, Paul J. The Clash of Civilizations Twenty Years On . Bristol, UK: E-International Relations, 2013.
Huntington, Samuel, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order New York Touchstone, 1997.
Shahi, Deeposhikha. “The Clash of Civilizations Thesis: A Critical Appraisal.” E-International Relations 2017 Available from https://www.e-ir.info/2017/04/02/the-clash-of-civilizations-thesis-a-critical-appraisal/Accessed June 10, 2019.
Swan, Darin. A Criticism of Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations" New York: Simon & Schuster Inc, 1996.
