The Clash of Civilizations – Samuel P. Huntington

Brief Description of the Book

The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order argues that post–Cold War conflicts will be driven primarily by cultural and civilizational identities, not ideology or economics alone. Huntington classifies the world into major civilizations (Western, Islamic, Sinic, Hindu, etc.) and contends that fault lines between civilizations are likely sites of conflict. For exams, the book is most useful analytically and critically—to frame debates in GS-2 (International Relations), Essay, and to contrast culture-centric explanations with alternatives like economics, institutions, and diplomacy.

The following extracts may be used in OPSC answer writing:

“The fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic.”→ GS-2 IR / Essay: Post–Cold War conflict drivers; shift from ideology to identity

“The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics.”→ GS-2 IR / Essay: Civilizational lens to understand contemporary conflicts (use with qualification)

“Civilizations are the ultimate human tribes.”→ GS-2 / Essay: Identity politics, cultural solidarity, limits of universalism

“Fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future.”→ GS-2 IR: Geopolitical hotspots; cultural boundaries and conflicts

“Culture and cultural identities are shaping the patterns of cohesion, disintegration, and conflict in the post–Cold War world.”→ GS-2 IR / Essay: Role of culture in diplomacy, nationalism, and foreign policy

“The West is unique, not universal.”→ GS-2 IR / Essay: Critique of Western universalism; multipolar cultural world

“Islam has bloody borders.”→ GS-2 IR / Essay: Contentious thesis on civilizational conflict
(Use only to discuss/critique; contextualise carefully to avoid endorsement.)

“In the emerging world, the relations between states and groups from different civilizations will not be close.”→ GS-2 IR: Limits of global integration; need for cultural sensitivity in diplomacy

“Economic modernisation does not necessarily mean Westernisation.”→ GS-2 IR / Essay: Development models; alternative modernities (China, East Asia)

“Shared blood, belief, values, and institutions define civilizations.”→ GS-2 / Essay: Identity formation; soft power and civilizational narratives