Since the early nineties, the term âcivilizationâ has undergone remarkable transformations and has assumed political and ideological functions it has not been fit for as a linchpin of the more than two-centuries-old academic discourse on âcivilizationsâ. These transformations materialized in the political-ideological formations known as the âclash of civilizationsâ and the âdialogue among civilizationsâ which comprise a âcivilizational discourseâ in many respects alternative to the academic one. This essay intends, firstly, to uncover the structural and thematic differences between the academic âcivilizational discourseâ and its trendy alternative. Secondly, the essay aspires to demonstrate how complementary, at their methodological and ideological bases, the âclash of civilizationsâ and the âdialogue among civilizationsâ are, despite their highly-publicized antagonism. Thirdly, the article aims to highlight the actual political processes underway in our world which manifest themselves through and make use of the alternative âcivilizational discourseâ as part of their modus operandi. The essay ties these processes with the global triumph of capitalism at the closure of the 20th century, and with the rise of the projects of authoritarian hegemony.
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