The Ideas Letter
Samuel Huntington’s “Clash of Civilizations,” an article and later a book that few liked but many cited, merits revisiting. Hans Kundnani and Srirupa Roy consider today’s surprising and irresistible rise of “civilizational” rhetoric in different quarters of the globe with Huntington in mind. Unlike Huntington, they don’t necessarily see today’s civilizational turn ending in catastrophe.
The Zurich-based intellectual historian Adam Knowles follows with a close reading of Germany’s historical New Right (Neue Rechte). The New Right’s strategic ideological dance vis-à-vis National Socialism and in the postwar period is a story that has contemporary resonance. As Yeats once asked, “How can we know the dancer from the dance?”
Our curated section kicks off with the Ukrainian historian Mikhail Minakov’s sharp dissection of liberalism’s frailties through the lens of three important thinkers. We follow with an intriguing romp through the technology texts that matter to Chinese intellectuals and elites. Afra Wang, whose work focuses on the nexus between China and Silicon Valley, is an ideal guide. And from WIRED is another story about intellectual origins, this time about the grim reaper Peter Thiel’s comradeship with an Austrian theologian.
On the musical front, I have been besotted recently with the polyphonic sounds of the flautist James Newton. Here is “The Dabtara” from his record Axum, a 1981 ECM recording, from which the Beastie Boys once allegedly sampled without giving proper credit.
—Leonard Benardo, senior vice president at the Open Society Foundations
The Clash of Civilizationalisms Hans Kundnani and Srirupa Roy The Ideas Letter EssayKundnani and Roy trace a “global civilizational turn,” in which countries increasingly appeal to concepts of distinct civilizations rather than mere states.
Featured Essays
What is The Ideas Letter
Welcome to The Ideas Letter, a publication that prizes the unconventional. We are not in the business of persuading. We won’t try to convince you of anything—other than that the world is complex and reality ever-shifting. We are not here to advocate. What you will find, and we hope embrace, are contributions from across ideological aisles, from a broad range of disciplines and a true cross-section of thinking. If catholicity is your métier, and you are uneasy with banging the drum but would rather hear its many sounds, this is the place for you.
We really like critique. Not the mean-spirited or spiteful kind, but rather commentary that raises tough questions, unpacks assumptions, sometimes calls people on the carpet, and always provides opportunity for discussion. That is what we are really after—facilitating, augmenting, furthering, and bolstering debate around issues of consequence.
You’ll find here articles, essays, and criticism that will challenge you to think. Let us know your thoughts, and make sure to tell a friend. Or even someone with whom you disagree!