ABSTRACT

Expanding upon, and engaging with, the influential theories of Francis Fukuyama in The End of History and Samuel Huntington in The Clash of Civilisations, this book is a major, and controversial, contribution to these key contemporary debates. Dieter Senghaas examines some of the most significant political issues we face today:
* How do societies cope with pluralization? * Can tolerance be a successful solution? * What is the role of 'culture' in recent conflicts which have been described as culturally induced? * And will twenty-first-century world politics sink into cultural conflicts on a biblical scale?
Dieter Senghaas explores these questions within the context of the main non-Western cultural areas Chinese political philosophy, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism and goes on to reflect on the possibility of a constructive form of intercultural dialogue. Senghaas's distinctive and radical approach will be of great interest and topicality to all those working in politics, international relations, sociology, cultural studies, development studies, religion and international political economy.

chapter |10 pages

Introduction

part |2 pages

PART 1 Pluralization and politicization: challenges for cultures

chapter 2|11 pages

Is there a point in looking back?

The relevance of classical Chinese philosophy for modern China

chapter 3|10 pages

The quest for innovation

Islam and the challenges of pluralism

chapter 4|11 pages

Homelessness versus public order

Inquiries on Buddhism

chapter 5|8 pages

From spiritual to modern plurality?

Hinduism at a crossroads

chapter 6|5 pages

Interim observations

part |2 pages

Part 2 Clash of cultures?

chapter 8|14 pages

The realities of cultural struggles

chapter 9|8 pages

On Asian and other values

chapter 10|3 pages

Interim observations

part |2 pages

Part 3 Communication about cultures