Compare Huntington's (1993) argument in The clash of civilizations to Essay

Compare Huntington's (1993) argument in The clash of civilizations to that of Wendell Bell (2004) Humanities' commo - Essay Example There is much credence to this thesis, as a quick glance at history of last millennia will reveal. During ancient times, the chief source of identification came from the tribe or clan to which an individual belonged. Since life was harsh, brutal and short, there was no scope for identification beyond this narrow realm. But as civilization progressed our societies got organized in terms of kingdoms and other smaller autocratic domains. Conflict between two groups could still arise on the basis of differences in cultures or religions or languages, etc, but limitations of geography, locomotive technology and lack of sophisticated organization meant that instances of clashes between civilizations was not frequent. But in the modern world, especially since the industrial revolution, technological advancement (especially in areas of transportation, telecommunication) alongside global economic integration has shrunk the distance between civilizations, making them prone to friction and confl ict. Of the seven major civilizations that Huntington identifies in his essay, the one between Islam and the West has taken center-stage in contemporary world.