INTRODUCTION
In 1992 within a lecture Samuel P. Huntington proposed a theory that suggests that people's cultural and religious identities will undoubtedly be the primary source of conflict in the post-Cold War world, this theory is known as the Clash of Civilizations. Therefore this essay provides a criticism of this theory, whether I agree or disagree with it and also the aspects I like or dislike about the theory as a whole.
Generally culture and self-identities are the first and by far one of the most important aspects that people consider in their lives as they bring meaning to them. People seek to know who they are, where they are coming from and also where they are going. However Huntington said that the very same cultural identities are the primary source of conflict within civilisations. He further says that within people’s journeys of seeking their cultural identities they encounter new but often old identities. In other words they are then marching under new but old flags which then eventually lead to war with their new but old enemies (Huntington, 1996).
This I have to disagree with reason being that it cannot be in all instances that when people discover their cultural identities they then get in conflict with their old enemies although they might still have a void with them. It can be said that people are reluctant to change but not in all cases. An example we would look at apartheid within South Africa. If indeed things happened as Huntington suggests then it is easier to believe that we would still be having apartheid within South Africa. The fact that the ending of apartheid occurred people found their cultures and identities did not as such lead to conflicts evoking all over again. This is evident throughout Sou...
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...arly lead to the rivalry of superpowers being replaced by the clash of civilizations. Conversely it then makes it evident that in this particular new world global politics then become the politics of civilizations whereas local politics become the politics of ethnicity (Huntington, 1996).
Most importantly it is cited that the most severe and dangerous conflicts will arise between none other than people with different cultural entities, specifically those along the fault lines between civilizations. Reason for this being that they are all in search of the identities and as Huntington has already said that there is no way you can love what you are if you do not hate what you are not , hence the arousal of the conflicts. In their search of identities they hate what they are not so that they can have a deeper love for what they are.
Works Cited
Huntington, 1996
The world is filled with many different types of societies and cultures. This is due to the fact that many people share dissimilar beliefs and ideas, as well as diverse ways of life. People lived under different circumstances and stipulations, therefore forming cultures and societies with ideas they formulated, themselves. These two factors, society and culture, are what motivate people to execute the things that they do. Many times, however, society and culture can cause downgrading effects to an assemblage if ever it is corrupt or prejudiced. Society and culture not only influences the emotions individuals have toward things like age differences, religion, power, and equality but also the actions they perform as a result.
Society constantly changing rules and culture is the main reason for conflict between people. This is displayed in “Kindred” were numerous African descending people are enslaved. In the novel Rufus and Dana -the main characters- have a difficult time getting along. This is because they were raised in different societies with different cultural acceptance. In the novel, you can observe Dana struggles with trying to fit in and stay out of trouble, and Rufus frustration in trying to control her. As seen in this novel, the thing people are taught or use to often time interfere with their good judgment and can make overlook things that are morally wrong.
In the years since the early 90’s, Huntington’s premise has not been proven wrong. Along the years, various conflicts occurred around the world which can be identified as the examples of the clash of civilizations. Certainly, other factors such as politics, economics and military also contribute to many conflicts, yet the most catastrophic and chaotic ones inevitably occur in the dispute between civilizations. Between Orthodoxy and Islam there was wars in Bosnia, Kosovo and the Caucuses, between Islam and Africa there was Boko Haram, between Islam and the Hindu civilization there was perpetual terrorism, between Orthodoxy and the West there was wars in Croatia and Slovenia and the current crisis in Ukraine, and of course, between the West and Islam, there was the phenomenon of Charlie Hebdo, not to mention the widely-known 9/11 tragedy.
I share the view of Edward Said who responded to Huntington’s thesis in his 2001 article, “ The Clash of Ignorance”. He argued that Huntington’s categorization of the world’s fixed “civilizations” omits the dynamic interdependency and interaction of culture. Said (2004) also argues that the clash of civilizations thesis is an example of “ the purest individious racism, a sort of parody of Hitlerian science
Culture and identity are two very strange ideas. They are received at a very young age, yet they are very hard to give to someone else. They will affect you for the rest or your life, yet for the most part you are born into them. However, they soon become very important to us and we cannot, no matter what we do, live without them. They are a part of us, and a vital aspect of society. However, it took me a very long time to recognize that I had an identity and a little while after that before I knew what it was.
Conflict. There is no getting around the idea of conflict. We live in a world were conflict occurs on a daily basis between different religious groups or even between two countries that do not see eye to eye on certain matters. Countries and religious groups want to be supreme and the top dogs on the social, economic and physical levels. They are willing to do whatever it takes to get this power and more often than not, violence is used to achieve this power. An example of conflict happening right now in our world is the dispute involving the Central African Republic.
The question that I sought to answer with this paper was whether humans are biologically destined to wage war on one another. Admittedly, something of a broad topic. It seemed to me from news headlines and various history classes over the years that wars, in general, are fought over race, ethnicity or religion. Obviously, often the divides that exist between two ethnic groups don't surface in the form of war or conflict until an issue such as territory comes up. Yet even in territory disputes, the conflict itself still is rooted in the distinction the two sides see in one another: "no, you can't share this lake with us because you look differently/speak differently/worship a different god". Race is not a voluntary trait; it is genetically determined. Ethnicity is, to some degree, a plastic concept; created by human perception of boundaries and distinctions. Religion is an identity that one actively assumes, it involves participation and the adoption of a belief system. From this, one can see that the nature of the distinction is not so important as the distinction itself being made. From this, it would be easy to slip into the assumption that all it takes is the presence of difference to incite violence between populations; but this, I think, does not give humanity enough credit. My goal in this paper is to present an argument that while perhaps inclined, humans are by no means destined to wage war on one another.
In the book, Identity and Difference by Kathyrn Woodward, she goes into depth about one’s own identity. Struggling with identity is bound to happen because one might have a different perspective of the world that was set by one’s community, ethnicity, or even social class. Furthermore, identity gives us a certain place in the world in which one can be connected with society where he live. Though much of identity is used to show the difference in each other, it can also be used to show how similar one is to another. Identity, however, can be used to set one group apart from another. In the apartheid and genocide in Rwanda, the Hutu was seen killing off of the Tutsis due to social class differences where the Tutsis was apparently wealthier, taller, and higher in the social status than the Hutus. Social class differences contributes to how one perceive another identity to the other. Much of what makes up one’s identity has to deal with culture, also because the way one’s culture shape a person is due to his/her experience. This experience of cultures is what makes each individual different from one another and also contributes to one’s own ideas and morals. Identity can be used to separate one person from another, but it can also be used to see how similar one is to
In this text, the author is criticizing the beliefs that Samuel Huntington has on what the main causes of conflicts between nations. He believes that the causes are cultural differences like religion, etc. The author clearly states that he believes that thinking the same way Huntington thinks, is dangerous. The author also talks about how there are many other things that also have an effect or role on causing conflicts. The author also presents to the audience the idea that things like the news and other media outlets use certain techniques as a way to manipulate society to think a certain way about a person or a specific group of people. Throughout the text, the authors continuously states how this a very ignorant thing for society to do or continue doing.
Muhammad Ali, a famous boxer, once said, “Hating People because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. I’s just plain wrong” (Goodreads, 2015). For many centuries, ethnic conflict between the humans have existed immortally due the never changing differences of culture and values, spinning the cycle of war. Fortunately, some have ended however some still remain immortal in the eyes of those who have experience struggle to this date. The lack of awareness of problems in a cultural crisis concerning those who fall victim to a system and society that discriminates and alienates. With assistance of Critical Race Theory, this essay will examine how the role of race with has affected has caused consequences within the lives of marginalized groups within society through the lives and their relationship with those in their communities.
...n possess in the world, precisely in respect to conflicts. With the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, civil war in Syria, the Arab Spring, the Russian invasion of Georgia, and numerous other conflicts; it is clear that globalization does not end conflicts completely.
Bennie Thompson once said, “We must maximize our efforts to counter violent extremism, radicalization and recruitment in the United States and stop using xenophobia and ethnic stereotyping.” These words remind people that even though they can be different, they are all the same, and they need to stop labeling and acting like it is such a big deal. People forget this because of their beliefs and the way they were raised. The differentiation of ethnicities between people can cause conflict. Conflicts such as one ethnicity thinks that they are right or better than another. Ethnicity plays a great deal in the cause for conflict within countries. Specifically in the U.S, ethnicity has created problems having to do with social, economic, and political
To lose complete independence, resources, and the ability to defend rights is extremely inexcusable. In almost every part of the world numerous cultural and ethnic factions live together, and therefore it is almost unmanageable to draw a series of boundaries that encircles people from only one ethnic group. In addition, it is tremendously hard to integrate everyone who is unalike with a leading ethnic group. Irredentism always has an irritating effect on minority or majority struggles. By developing common distrust and animosity, it regularly causes violence, and occasionally, even war.
Clearly, not all persons belonging to the same culture are equal. Each person or society has its own identity, established by factors such as ethnic history, religious tradition, paths, experiences, and experiences. Thats why cultural diversity has a negative impact on a group of people or country. It creates social problems and conflicts that eventually results in uprisings, revolutions, or wars. For example, in Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue”, she explains her difficulties and mishaps that she has to endure due to her Chinese mother and primitive english. The author, raised in USA, has problems communicating with her mother. She writes that e...
Ross, Mark Howard. “The Relevance of Culture for the Study of Political Psychology and Ethnic Conflict”. Political Psychology, Vol. 18, No. 2, Special Issue: Culture and Cross-Cultural