Dialogue Among Civilizations: Possibilities after Huntington

Healey, Stephen. "Dialogue Among Civilizations: Possibilities after Huntington." International Journal on World Peace. 18:1 (Mar. 2001): 7-14.

“Samuel Huntington’s 1993 Foreign Affairs article “The Clash of Civilizations?” was greeted with a hailstorm of protest, but many also felt that Huntington had grasped something important and fundamental about the post Cold War world. Huntington’s 1996 book The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order more completely elaborates the point of view initially set forth in the article. Like the article, the book has been greeted with an admixture of enthusiastic reception and critical dismissal. At least in part, the theme of this conference is in tension with Huntington’s idea, at least insofar as it asks whether something positive—namely, dialogue—is possible between civilizations. In this brief presentation, I also will question whether Huntington’s proposed remedy to the clash of civilizations is adequate. Indeed, I will argue that the motif of dialogue as an aspect of liberalism is not given enough play in his work, even though the liberal tradition itself is rightly criticized by Huntington at a number of points. I will proceed quickly through three parts: first, I will discuss liberalism, religion, and politics; second, I will consider Huntington’s analysis of and proposed remedy to a clash of civilizations; and third, I will briefly sketch a counterproposal.”

– Excerpt

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