The Clash of Civilizations?: Asian Responses

In the The Clash of Civilizations? Samuel P. Huntington provocatively laid down the global fault lines of the post-cold war era. Huntington sees the west as involved in an unavoidable collision with two major civilizations–Islamic and Confucian. This controversial thesis, originally published in Foreign Affairs and now developed into a book, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, is said to have generated more comments than any other contribution to Foreign Affairs in recent times. It is curious that Huntington is not a specialist in either of the civilizations he has singled out as a potential "enemy". This volume provides critical responses from representatives of Confucian and Islamic cultures to Huntington’s provocative thesis. These essays, representing thoughtful work of scholars from seven countries, will provide readers with a well-rounded picture of the issues raised by Huntington. The volume begins with a reprint of Huntington’s own essay, which is not widely available, in order to provide readers familiarity with the original.