ABSTRACT
Conflict between civilizations will be the latest phase in the evolution of conflict in the modern world. Nation states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future. The interactions between peoples of different civilizations are increasing; these increasing interactions intensify civilization consciousness and awareness of differences between civilizations and commonalities within civilizations. The fault lines between civilizations are replacing the political and ideological boundaries of the Cold War as the flash points for crisis and bloodshed. Conflict along the fault line between Western and Islamic civilizations has been going on for 1,300 years. The interactions between civilizations vary greatly in the extent to which they are likely to be characterized by violence.
