jihad vs. mcworld ch. 4, pp. 32–38. (excerpted from barber, introduction, in jihad vs. mcworld,...

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Jihad vs. McWorld Benjamin Barber, Ch. 4, pp. Ch. 4, pp. 32–38. (Excerpted from Barber, 32–38. (Excerpted from Barber, Introduction, Introduction, in in Jihad vs. Jihad vs. McWorld McWorld , Times Books, 1995) , Times Books, 1995)

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Jihad vs. McWorld

Benjamin Barber, Ch. 4, pp. 32–38. Ch. 4, pp. 32–38. (Excerpted from Barber, (Excerpted from Barber, Introduction,Introduction, in in Jihad vs. McWorldJihad vs. McWorld, , Times Books, 1995)Times Books, 1995)

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GL is characterized as a GL is characterized as a dialecticdialectic between two between two opposing forces: opposing forces: McWorldMcWorld and and JihadJihad

dialecticdialectic: a contradiction of ideas that : a contradiction of ideas that serves as the determining factor in their serves as the determining factor in their interaction interaction

-"-"this situation created the inner dialectic of this situation created the inner dialectic of American history"American history" (WordNet) (WordNet)

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McWorldMcWorld

“…“…is a product of popular culture is a product of popular culture driven by expansionist commerce”driven by expansionist commerce”

Its template is AmericanIts template is American Its goods are as much Its goods are as much imagesimages as as

materiel, an materiel, an aestheticaesthetic as well as a as well as a product line. product line.

It’s about culture as commodity, It’s about culture as commodity, apparel as ideology (36)apparel as ideology (36)

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JihadJihad

Dogmatic and violent particularism, Dogmatic and violent particularism, opposed to multiculturalism and all opposed to multiculturalism and all culture considered ‘other’culture considered ‘other’o Barber uses the term, "in its militant Barber uses the term, "in its militant

construction to suggest dogmatic and construction to suggest dogmatic and violent particularism of a kind known to violent particularism of a kind known to Christians no less than Muslims, to Christians no less than Muslims, to Germans and Hindus as well as to Germans and Hindus as well as to Arabs" (35)Arabs" (35)

German philosophers, Hegel German philosophers, Hegel & Marx, also saw history in & Marx, also saw history in dialectical dialectical terms…terms… But believed that it led to But believed that it led to progressprogress

- typical Enlightenment thinking- typical Enlightenment thinking Barber is more pessimisticBarber is more pessimistic

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The 2 forces – paradoxically The 2 forces – paradoxically interdependentinterdependent – have one – have one thing in common:thing in common:

Both work to undermine the Both work to undermine the sovereignsovereign nation-statenation-state and thus and thus endanger democracy, civil society, endanger democracy, civil society, and democratic citizenshipand democratic citizenship

"Their common thread is indifference "Their common thread is indifference to civil liberty" (34)to civil liberty" (34)

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The identities spawned by McWorld & The identities spawned by McWorld & Jihad – consumer vs. a member of some Jihad – consumer vs. a member of some particular tribe – seem to be crowding particular tribe – seem to be crowding out identities based on out identities based on democraticdemocratic

citizenshipcitizenship

““Jihad pursues a bloody politics of identity, Jihad pursues a bloody politics of identity, McWorld a bloodless economics of profit.McWorld a bloodless economics of profit.

Belonging by default to McWorld, everyone is a Belonging by default to McWorld, everyone is a consumer; seeking a repository for identity, consumer; seeking a repository for identity, everyone belongs to some tribe. everyone belongs to some tribe.

But no one is a citizen. Without citizens, how But no one is a citizen. Without citizens, how can there be democracy?” (35)can there be democracy?” (35)

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““Hard powerHard power yields to yields to softsoft””

Defining power as “the ability to get what Defining power as “the ability to get what you want,” Joseph Nye (1990) you want,” Joseph Nye (1990) distinguishes two types:distinguishes two types: Soft powerSoft power: employing co-optation : employing co-optation

and attraction (more and attraction (more ideological ideological means)means)

Hard powerHard power: using means of : using means of coercion and payment (more coercion and payment (more materialmaterial means) means)

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““Ideology is transmuted into Ideology is transmuted into a kind of a kind of videology”videology”

Videology works through sound bites and Videology works through sound bites and film clipsfilm clips

It’s “fuzzier” and less dogmatic than It’s “fuzzier” and less dogmatic than traditional political ideology:traditional political ideology: it may as a consequence be far it may as a consequence be far

more successful in instilling the novel more successful in instilling the novel values required for global markets to values required for global markets to succeed” (36)succeed” (36)

the information revolution the information revolution

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Barber’s predictions:Barber’s predictions:

““Jihad’s microwars will hold the headlines Jihad’s microwars will hold the headlines well into the next century… But well into the next century… But McWorld’s homogenization is likely to McWorld’s homogenization is likely to establish a macropeace that favors the establish a macropeace that favors the triumph of commerce and its markets triumph of commerce and its markets andand to give to those who control to give to those who control information, communication, and information, communication, and entertainment ultimate (if advertent) entertainment ultimate (if advertent) control over human destiny” control over human destiny” (38)(38)

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??

Do the Tunisian and Egyptian cases Do the Tunisian and Egyptian cases suggest there’s a way out of the Jihad-suggest there’s a way out of the Jihad-McWorld dialectic?McWorld dialectic?

What kinds of identities drove the anti-What kinds of identities drove the anti-government protests?government protests?

What conditions seem to promote What conditions seem to promote struggles for citizenship/rights (as struggles for citizenship/rights (as opposed to particularism/fundamentalism opposed to particularism/fundamentalism and consumerism)?and consumerism)?

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The Clash of Civilizations?

Samuel P. Huntington, Ch. 5, pp. 39–46. (Excerpted from “The Clash of Civilizations?,” Foreign Affairs, Summer 1993)

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Huntington’s hypothesis

The fundamental source of conflict in this The fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economicideological or primarily economic

It will be CULTURALIt will be CULTURAL Nation states will remain the most Nation states will remain the most

powerful actors, but the principle powerful actors, but the principle conflicts of global politics will occur conflicts of global politics will occur between between nationsnations and and groups of different groups of different civilizationscivilizations

The fault lines between civilizations will The fault lines between civilizations will be battle lines of futurebe battle lines of future

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Why Civilizations Will Clash: #1

Differences among civilizations are Differences among civilizations are basic, basic, durable, more fundamentaldurable, more fundamental than than differences among political ideologies & differences among political ideologies & political regimespolitical regimesDifferences don’t necessarily mean conflict, Differences don’t necessarily mean conflict,

and conflict isn't necessarily violent and conflict isn't necessarily violent Over centuries, however, civilizational Over centuries, however, civilizational

differences have caused the longest and differences have caused the longest and most violent conflictsmost violent conflicts

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Why Civilizations Will Clash: #2

The world is becoming smallerThe world is becoming smaller Interactions among different people of Interactions among different people of

different civilizations enhance the different civilizations enhance the ““civilizational consciousnesscivilizational consciousness" of " of people, and that invigorates people, and that invigorates differences and animositiesdifferences and animosities

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Why Civilizations Will Clash: #3

Processes of economic Processes of economic modernization and social change modernization and social change are separating people from local are separating people from local identities identities like like anomie anomie

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Why Civilizations Will Clash: #4

Growth of civilizational Growth of civilizational consciousness is enhanced by the consciousness is enhanced by the dual role of the West, which has dual role of the West, which has sparked a “return-to-roots” sparked a “return-to-roots” phenomenon among non-Western phenomenon among non-Western civilizationscivilizations

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Why Civilizations Will Clash: #5

Cultural characteristics & Cultural characteristics & differences are less mutable and differences are less mutable and hence less easily compromised and hence less easily compromised and resolved than political and resolved than political and economic oneseconomic ones

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The Fault-Lines between Civilizations

"In the Arab world, in short, Western "In the Arab world, in short, Western democracy strengthens anti-Western democracy strengthens anti-Western political forces" (44)political forces" (44)

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The West vs. The Rest - I

The West is at peak of power The West is at peak of power (*written in 1993)(*written in 1993)

The "world community" is controlled by the US The "world community" is controlled by the US and great powers, through international org’sand great powers, through international org’s "The West in effect is using international institutions, "The West in effect is using international institutions,

military power and economic resources to run the military power and economic resources to run the world in ways that will maintain Western world in ways that will maintain Western predominance, protect Western interests and predominance, protect Western interests and promote Western political and economic values" promote Western political and economic values" (45)(45) This succinctly expresses the "realist" perspective on This succinctly expresses the "realist" perspective on

international organizations (See Ch. 8)international organizations (See Ch. 8)

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The West vs. the Rest - II Western concepts differ fundamentally Western concepts differ fundamentally

from those prevalent in other civilizationsfrom those prevalent in other civilizations ““Western ideas of individualism, liberalism, Western ideas of individualism, liberalism,

constitutionalism, human rights, equality, constitutionalism, human rights, equality, liberty, the rule of law, democracy, free liberty, the rule of law, democracy, free markets, the separation of church and state, markets, the separation of church and state, have little resonance in Islamic, Confucian, have little resonance in Islamic, Confucian, Japanese, Hindu, Buddhist, or Orthodox Japanese, Hindu, Buddhist, or Orthodox cultures" (p. 45)cultures" (p. 45) OR maybe they do? (e.g., Egypt 2011)OR maybe they do? (e.g., Egypt 2011)

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Questions about culture:

How does Huntington understand culture? How/why does he distinguish it from ideology?

Are cultural characteristics really less mutable (changeable) and less easily compromised than political or economic differences?

Are “cultures” or “civilizations” as distinct and contained as Huntington suggests? Are the boundaries between them clear?

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What are we?Nationality/Ethnicity/Race (8)Nationality/Ethnicity/Race (8) AmericanAmerican American-DominicanAmerican-Dominican Italian/AmericanItalian/American *I am a girl from Pakistan*I am a girl from Pakistan outgoing white American…?outgoing white American…? Korean AmericanKorean American Persian American (and very proud)Persian American (and very proud) *Guyanese-American Working Class Student *Guyanese-American Working Class Student

Organizational role (@ Queens College) (6)Organizational role (@ Queens College) (6) StudentStudent student studying to become a teacherstudent studying to become a teacher *hard-working student who body builds for fun*hard-working student who body builds for fun *female student*female student I am a psych majorI am a psych major professorprofessor

Species (5)Species (5) Human (x 2)Human (x 2) humanhuman A Human being A Human being I am a human beingI am a human being

Religion/Ethnicity/Nationality (4)Religion/Ethnicity/Nationality (4) I am CatholicI am Catholic I am JewishI am Jewish Persian JewPersian Jew *Determined Jewish American*Determined Jewish American

Personal qualities (traits)/states of mind (4)Personal qualities (traits)/states of mind (4) "outgoing""outgoing" kindheartedkindhearted "patient""patient" confusedconfused

Hobbies/passions (3Hobbies/passions (3) ) Car GuyCar Guy I play sports I play sports WriterWriter

Gender/Age (2) [+ 2 above?]Gender/Age (2) [+ 2 above?] I'm a19 yr old girlI'm a19 yr old girl girlgirl

Don't Know (1Don't Know (1) ) I don't know anymore.I don't know anymore.