From Huntington to Trump

Jeffrey Haynes is emeritus professor of politics at London Metropolitan University.

• IntroductionChapter One: Civilizations and International Relations: History and DevelopmentChapter Two: The “Clash of Civilizations” and the “New World Disorder” Chapter Three: The United Nations and Intercivilizational DialogueChapter Four: Right-Wing Populism, “Christian Civilizationism,” and Securitization of Islam Chapter Five: The UN Alliance of Civilizations and Intercivilizational Dialogue Chapter Six: The United States of America Chapter Seven: Western EuropeChapter Eight: Central EuropeConclusion

In an influential 1993 Foreign Affairs article, Samuel Huntington argued that the main source of international conflict after the Cold War would not be ideological but cultural. Haynes (London Metropolitan Univ., UK) uses Huntington’s framework to examine contemporary international politics, particularly the rise of right-wing populism, “Christian civilizationism,” and the “securitization” of Islam in the US and Europe. In so doing, he also illustrates the shortcomings of Huntington’s model, observing that contemporary civilizations, including the “Muslim world,” are increasingly divided along sectarian lines. The first four chapters explain Huntington’s theory of the “clash of civilizations” and provide historical background on the rise of “Islamophobia” and “Christian civilizationism.” The next three chapters include case studies of the revival of right-wing nationalism in the US, Western Europe, and Central Europe, and a discussion of attempts to promote "intercivilizational dialogue" at the UN. Shedding light on significant contemporary events, such as Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 US presidential election and the rise of xenophobia in Europe provoked by the 2015 refugee crisis, this topical volume is an important contribution to the literature on post-Cold War international relations. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.