THE CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS

AND THE REMAKING OF

WORLD ORDER
BOOK REVIEW PRESENTATION
BY FAIZAN AHMAD KHAN
 INTRODUCTION
The book was written by Samuel P. Huntington.

It is an extension of his article by the same name

published in the journal Foreign Policy in 1992.

Founder and co-editor of Foreign Policy.

Huntington was Eaton Professor of Science and

Government at Harvard.

Has been adviser to Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter.

Died in December 2008, aged 81

 CENTRAL THEME

The central theme behind this book is that culture

and cultural identities, which at the broadest
level are civilization identities, are shaping the
pattern of cohesion, disintegration, and conflict
in the post-Cold War world.
 STRUCTURE
The book has been divided into five parts:

Part I: A World
of Civilizations

Part V: The Part II: The

Future of Shifting Balance
Civilizations of Civilizations

Part III: The

Part IV: Clashes
Emerging Order
of Civilizations of Civilizations
 A WORLD OF CIVILIZATIONS
 Eight major civilizations in the world, namely: Sinic, Japanese,
Hindu, Western, Islamic, Orthodox, Latin American and
African.

 The West cannot dictate its terms to other civilizations anymore,

rather “multidirectional interactions among civilizations”
has been maintained.

 The author concludes that though the world is becoming more

modern, it is simultaneously becoming less Western.

 For example, Muslim countries are willingly adopting

modernization as the key to progress but are still retaining their
own culture instead of following Western culture.
 THE SHIFTING BAL ANCE OF
CIVILIZATIONS
 Western power is declining, but at a very slow rate and is not an
immediate threat to the world powers.

 Huntington emphasises the increased role and importance of

religion in world politics. “Religion is the central defining
characteristic of civilisations”.

 Islamic Resurgence is the result of high population growth and

failure of Muslim states to deliver economically and politically.

 Asian countries are able to resist Western pressure as they are

economically and militarily stable and no more reliant on
Western help.
 THE EMERGING ORDER OF
CIVILIZATIONS
 Identity crisis in the post Cold War world as countries relinquish
their identities of being either aligned or non-aligned.

 Who are we? Where do we belong?

 “Countries started rallying to those (cultures) with similar

ancestry, religion, values, language and institutions and
distance themselves from those with different ones.”

 Countries are increasingly flocking towards other states which

share the same culture and are circling around a small number of
powerful core states.

 Islamic civilization lacks a core state and is the main reason why
Muslim societies have not effectively progressed.
CLASHES OF CIVILIZATIONS
Huntington expects a grouping between Islamic and Sinic civilizations to
work against the West.

Major reason for clash of civilizations is that the West continues to believe
in the supremacy and universality of its culture.

The Western-Islamic clash would represent one of the bloodiest conflicts of

the 21st Century.

Economic development in Asia and China has resulted in a hostile

relationship with America.

The author defines the Afghan War and the Gulf War as the emergence of
civilisational wars. The Gulf War was interpreted as a war of “Us vs. Them”,
i.e. Islam vs. Christianity.
 THE FUTURE OF
CIVILISATIONS
 Discusses the challenges faced by Western Civilisation.

 External challenges include the emerging cultural identities in

the non-Western world.

 Internal challenges include the erosion of values, morals and

beliefs within Western culture.

 The West will need to adapt to increasing power and influence of

different civilisations to remain a global political power.
 QUOTE FROM THE BOOK

“The futures of both peace and civilisation

depend upon understanding and cooperation
among the political, spiritual and intellectual
leaders of the world’s major civilisations.”
 CRITICISM

Does not explain the reason for animosity between

countries belonging to the same civilization.

Values are disseminated and altered more easily than

Huntington envisions. Democracy is a Western
phenomena but is practised in the East as well.
 CONCLUSION
 Complex sentences that make it difficult to understand what the
author wants to say.

 Author presents his thesis through factual and historical detail

which can sometimes be too difficult to understand.

 Difficult to understand for those who do not have background

knowledge on Cold War era.

 Recommended for students of International Relations and

History only

 Covers a vast range of topics which are relevant today, for

example the tensions between the West and Islam.
QUESTIONS