I welcome Prof Gerrit Olivier’s and Dr Costa Andre Georghiou’s spirited defence of Samuel Huntington’s "clash of civilisations" thesis in response to my recent article (Creaky Culture, February 15). In principle, at least. In their admiration for this "brilliant contribution" (their words) they are not alone, as I made clear in the piece. Huntington’s neat framing of the modern world has seduced extremists (including Christian, Islamic, even Shinto nationalists), ordinary crackpots and many thoughtful writers. That the far-right clique within Trump’s administration embraces Huntingtonian logic makes an inquiry into its stubborn appeal necessary and timely. But this demands serious debate. The straw-man posturing and personal attacks of Olivier and Georghiou get us nowhere. The "clash of civilisations" thesis has the qualities of an iconic photograph — both powerful and dangerous. Powerful because it readily conveys seemingly all one needs to know about an aspect of our world; danger...
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