Beyond the "The Clash of Civilizations"
- Discussion in French -
For over twenty years, the fundamental view of a rift in the world, not between East and West but between Good and Evil, the civilised and the barbarians, has gradually been taking root in human consciousness and has ultimately created "an imaginary divide" between the West and the Muslim world. This dualistic, safety-seeking approach has erected increasingly higher walls of prejudice in Europe and throughout the world, encouraging a mindset of withdrawal and confrontation. How can we open our minds to other world views? Perhaps by recalling ancient memories of political, economic, cultural and human interactions between the Orient and the Occident.
With Youssef Seddik (Philosopher and Anthropologist, has published many works, including L'arrivant du soir. Cet islam de lumière qui peine à devenir (2007) and Qui sont les barbares ? itinéraire d'un penseur d'islam (2005), éd. L'Aube), Alain Gresh (Assistant Director of Le Monde Diplomatique, Near East Specialist and author of many works including L'islam, la République et le monde, Fayard, 2004), and Roland de Bodt (Researcher and Writer, author of Averroès et les rivages de l'Europe, publication pending).
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