Anti-Americanism and the Clash of Civilizations

The University Archives has determined that this item is of continuing value to OSU's history.This paper explores the connections between the theme of anti-Americanism the ‘clash of civilizations’ thesis. In addressing the resurgence of ‘civilization’ talk and ‘civilization consciousness’ in recent years I suggest that it betrays a heightened sense of ‘Americanness’ in the United States. The American claims on behalf of civilization express both a heightened awareness of American nationalism based on ideas of American exceptionalism and an insistence on the universal applicability of those claims. Anti-Americanism is in part a reaction to these claims. The conclusion reached is that Samuel Huntington was correct to see cultural conflict as a prime source of global conflict even if some of the conclusions he drew from his analysis were wrong. The aim of this paper is to rescue a cultural interpretation of global conflict from those who have attacked it and those who have most forcefully advocated it.Ohio State University. Mershon Center for International Security Studiesweb page announcement, flier, working paper, phot