Araştırma Makalesi
BibTex RIS Kaynak Göster

One Universal Civilization: Superiority and Eurocentric Conception of the Rest

Yıl 2024, , 97 - 110, 13.06.2024
https://doi.org/10.26513/tocd.1437916

Öz

The prevailing notion suggests a universal or human civilization, positing all as subsets of a shared human experience. This article critiques this perspective, arguing that the contemporary concept of human civilization is predominantly synonymous with Western civilization. This article will elucidate its argument by drawing upon the insights of Western scholars in the field of civilizational studies. Subsequently, it will undertake a critical examination and assessment of the Western discourse, evaluating its outcomes as evidenced in contemporary foreign policy shaped by the historical backdrop of colonialism. The article uses direct quotations and historical narratives to not only scrutinize the inclination to depict Western civilization as singular, extraordinary, and unparalleled but also to highlight the persistent tendency to undervalue the importance of other civilizations, often termed as 'the rest'. It relies on primary materials authored by Western scholars concerning the notion of civilization, supplemented by secondary references citing influential intellectuals in the field. In addition to primary sources such as interviews and contemporary statements regarding pertinent events, secondary sources encompass literature on civilization within the framework of global south studies. The notion of Western civilization is depicted as a constructed political construct utilized to perpetuate Western hegemony, engender othering, and perpetuate colonialist agendas. This dynamic persists even in the post-Cold War era, wherein ongoing Western hegemony perpetuates dominance over non-Western powers. Instances reflecting this neo-colonialist paradigm include the US intervention in Iraq, the conflict in Afghanistan, and the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza as of late 2023.

Kaynakça

  • AP Archive. (2015, July 23). Presidential address to Congress on terrorism plus reax [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB145D3XJzE
  • Badarin, E. (2023, December 30). Facts bear no weight as EU leaders align with Israel's genocidal war. Middle East Eye. https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israel-palestine-war-eu-leaders-align-Israel-genocidal-war
  • Bell, W. (2002). The clash of civilizations and universal human values. Journal of Futures Studies, 6(3), 43.
  • Bernasconi, R. (2002). Kant as an unfamiliar source of racism. In J. P. Sterba (Ed.), Philosophers on race: Critical essays (I. ed., pp. 145-166). Blackwell.
  • Brantlinger, P. (2007). Kipling's "The White Man's Burden" and its afterlives. English Literature in Transition, 1880-1920, 50(2), 172-191.
  • Brookings Institution. (2023, October 27). Biden’s dangerous stance on the war in Israel and Gaza. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/bidens-dangerous-stance-on-the-war-in-israel-and-gaza/
  • Burckhardt, J. (1999). Judgments on history and historians (H. Zohn, Trans.). Liberty Fund.
  • CTV News. (2022, January 26). One-on-one with Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjhvqvw5aVQ
  • Euronews. (2023, October 26). Netanyahu: “We are sons of light, they are sons of darkness” [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKD9qR8YHYE
  • Fukuyama, F. (2006). The end of history and the last man. The Free Press.
  • Guizot, F. (2013). History of Civilization in Europe (W. Hazlitt, Trans.). Liberty Fund Inc.
  • Hakimi, A. (2022, July 16). Afghan girls suffer under school closures. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/afghan-girls-suffer-under-school-closures/a-62482558
  • Hall, S., & Gieben, B. (1992). The West and the rest: Discourse and power. In T. D. Goldberg (Ed.), Race and Racialization: Essential Readings (II. Ed., pp. 85-95). Sage Publications.
  • Hallaq, W. (2018). Restating Orientalism: A Critique of Modern Knowledge. Columbia University Press.
  • Hira, S. (2015). Scientific colonialism: The Eurocentric approach to colonialism. In M. Araújo and S. R. Maeso (Eds.), Eurocentrism, Racism and Knowledge: Debates on History and Power in Europe and the Americas (pp. 136-153). Palgrave Macmillan UK.
  • Hobson, J. A. (2005). Imperialism: A Study (Originally published in 1902). Old Chelsea Station.
  • Hobson, J. M. (2004). The Eastern origins of Western civilisation. Cambridge University Press.
  • Hobson, J. M. (2012). The Eurocentric conception of world politics: Western international theory. Cambridge University Press.
  • House, W. (2023, November 19). ICYMI: Joe Biden: The U.S. won’t back down from the challenge of Putin and Hamas. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/19/icymi-joe-biden-the-u-s-wont-back-down-from-the-challenge-of-putin-and-hamas/
  • Huntington, S. (1993). The clash of civilizations. Foreign Affairs, 72(3), 22-49.
  • Huntington, S. (2011). The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the Modern Order. Simon and Schuster Paperbacks.
  • Layug, A. S. P., & Hobson, J. M. (Eds.). (2022). Globalizing International Theory: The Problem with Western IR Theory and How to Overcome It. Routledge.
  • Mazlish, B. (2004). Civilization and its contents. Stanford University Press.
  • McCarthy, T. (2009). Race, empire, and the idea of human development. Cambridge University Press.
  • MEE Staff. (2023, October 9). Israel-Palestine war: 'We are fighting human animals', Israeli defence minister says. Middle East Eye. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-fighting-human-animals-defence-minister
  • Morgan, P. [Piers Morgan Uncensored]. (2023, October 17). Israel-Hamas War: Piers Morgan vs Bassem Youssef On Palestine's Treatment The Full Interview [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4idQbwsvtUo
  • Mozaffari, M. (Ed.). (2002). Globalization and civilizations. Psychology Press.
  • Naipaul, V. S. (1990, October 30). Our universal civilization. The Manhattan Institute, The 1990 Wriston Lecture. New York Review of Books.
  • Oermann, N. O. (2017). Albert Schweitzer: A Biography. Oxford University Press.
  • Richburg, K. B. (2002, November 9). Giscard declares Turkey too 'different' to join EU. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/11/09/giscard-declares-turkey-too-different-to-join-eu/826842dd-b769-4ef8-bc37-c8fa2fe80928/
  • Richburg, K. B. (2002, November 9). Giscard declares Turkey too 'different' to join EU. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/11/09/giscard-declares-turkey-too-different-to-join-eu/826842dd-b769-4ef8-bc37-c8fa2fe80928/
  • Said, E. W. (1993). Culture and imperialism. Vintage.
  • Said, E. W. (2003). Orientalism. Penguin Modern Classics.
  • Sayyid, S. (2022). Recalling the Caliphate: Decolonization and World Order. Hurst Publishers.
  • Schweitzer, A. (1987). The Philosophy of Civilization (C. T. Campion, Trans.). Prometheus Books.
  • Schweitzer, A. (1987). The philosophy of civilization (C. T. Campion, Trans.). Prometheus Books.
  • Spengler, O. (1920). Der Untergang des Abendlandes: Umrisse einer Morphologie der Weltgeschichte Gestalt und Wirklichkeit. Band I. Beck.
  • Toynbee, A. J. (1987). Study of History (Vol. II). Oxford University Press.
  • Uras, U. (2023, September 20). Analysis: Is Turkey’s bid for EU membership over? Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/20/analysis-is-turkeys-bid-for-eu-membership-over
  • Walker, R. B. J. (1981). World politics and Western reason: Universalism, pluralism, hegemony. Alternatives, 7(2), 195-227. https://doi.org/10.1177/030437548100700203
  • Zatari, F. (2021). Religion as a pillar for establishing a civilization: Al-Māwardī’s perspective. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 11(1), 240-257.

One Universal Civilization: Superiority and Eurocentric Conception of the Rest

Yıl 2024, , 97 - 110, 13.06.2024
https://doi.org/10.26513/tocd.1437916

Öz

The prevailing notion suggests a universal or human civilization, positing all as subsets of a shared human experience. This article critiques this perspective, arguing that the contemporary concept of human civilization is predominantly synonymous with Western civilization. This article will elucidate its argument by drawing upon the insights of Western scholars in the field of civilizational studies. Subsequently, it will undertake a critical examination and assessment of the Western discourse, evaluating its outcomes as evidenced in contemporary foreign policy shaped by the historical backdrop of colonialism. The article uses direct quotations and historical narratives to not only scrutinize the inclination to depict Western civilization as singular, extraordinary, and unparalleled but also to highlight the persistent tendency to undervalue the importance of other civilizations, often termed as 'the rest'. It relies on primary materials authored by Western scholars concerning the notion of civilization, supplemented by secondary references citing influential intellectuals in the field. In addition to primary sources such as interviews and contemporary statements regarding pertinent events, secondary sources encompass literature on civilization within the framework of global south studies. The notion of Western civilization is depicted as a constructed political construct utilized to perpetuate Western hegemony, engender othering, and perpetuate colonialist agendas. This dynamic persists even in the post-Cold War era, wherein ongoing Western hegemony perpetuates dominance over non-Western powers. Instances reflecting this neo-colonialist paradigm include the US intervention in Iraq, the conflict in Afghanistan, and the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza as of late 2023.

Kaynakça

  • AP Archive. (2015, July 23). Presidential address to Congress on terrorism plus reax [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB145D3XJzE
  • Badarin, E. (2023, December 30). Facts bear no weight as EU leaders align with Israel's genocidal war. Middle East Eye. https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israel-palestine-war-eu-leaders-align-Israel-genocidal-war
  • Bell, W. (2002). The clash of civilizations and universal human values. Journal of Futures Studies, 6(3), 43.
  • Bernasconi, R. (2002). Kant as an unfamiliar source of racism. In J. P. Sterba (Ed.), Philosophers on race: Critical essays (I. ed., pp. 145-166). Blackwell.
  • Brantlinger, P. (2007). Kipling's "The White Man's Burden" and its afterlives. English Literature in Transition, 1880-1920, 50(2), 172-191.
  • Brookings Institution. (2023, October 27). Biden’s dangerous stance on the war in Israel and Gaza. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/bidens-dangerous-stance-on-the-war-in-israel-and-gaza/
  • Burckhardt, J. (1999). Judgments on history and historians (H. Zohn, Trans.). Liberty Fund.
  • CTV News. (2022, January 26). One-on-one with Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjhvqvw5aVQ
  • Euronews. (2023, October 26). Netanyahu: “We are sons of light, they are sons of darkness” [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKD9qR8YHYE
  • Fukuyama, F. (2006). The end of history and the last man. The Free Press.
  • Guizot, F. (2013). History of Civilization in Europe (W. Hazlitt, Trans.). Liberty Fund Inc.
  • Hakimi, A. (2022, July 16). Afghan girls suffer under school closures. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/afghan-girls-suffer-under-school-closures/a-62482558
  • Hall, S., & Gieben, B. (1992). The West and the rest: Discourse and power. In T. D. Goldberg (Ed.), Race and Racialization: Essential Readings (II. Ed., pp. 85-95). Sage Publications.
  • Hallaq, W. (2018). Restating Orientalism: A Critique of Modern Knowledge. Columbia University Press.
  • Hira, S. (2015). Scientific colonialism: The Eurocentric approach to colonialism. In M. Araújo and S. R. Maeso (Eds.), Eurocentrism, Racism and Knowledge: Debates on History and Power in Europe and the Americas (pp. 136-153). Palgrave Macmillan UK.
  • Hobson, J. A. (2005). Imperialism: A Study (Originally published in 1902). Old Chelsea Station.
  • Hobson, J. M. (2004). The Eastern origins of Western civilisation. Cambridge University Press.
  • Hobson, J. M. (2012). The Eurocentric conception of world politics: Western international theory. Cambridge University Press.
  • House, W. (2023, November 19). ICYMI: Joe Biden: The U.S. won’t back down from the challenge of Putin and Hamas. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/19/icymi-joe-biden-the-u-s-wont-back-down-from-the-challenge-of-putin-and-hamas/
  • Huntington, S. (1993). The clash of civilizations. Foreign Affairs, 72(3), 22-49.
  • Huntington, S. (2011). The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the Modern Order. Simon and Schuster Paperbacks.
  • Layug, A. S. P., & Hobson, J. M. (Eds.). (2022). Globalizing International Theory: The Problem with Western IR Theory and How to Overcome It. Routledge.
  • Mazlish, B. (2004). Civilization and its contents. Stanford University Press.
  • McCarthy, T. (2009). Race, empire, and the idea of human development. Cambridge University Press.
  • MEE Staff. (2023, October 9). Israel-Palestine war: 'We are fighting human animals', Israeli defence minister says. Middle East Eye. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-fighting-human-animals-defence-minister
  • Morgan, P. [Piers Morgan Uncensored]. (2023, October 17). Israel-Hamas War: Piers Morgan vs Bassem Youssef On Palestine's Treatment The Full Interview [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4idQbwsvtUo
  • Mozaffari, M. (Ed.). (2002). Globalization and civilizations. Psychology Press.
  • Naipaul, V. S. (1990, October 30). Our universal civilization. The Manhattan Institute, The 1990 Wriston Lecture. New York Review of Books.
  • Oermann, N. O. (2017). Albert Schweitzer: A Biography. Oxford University Press.
  • Richburg, K. B. (2002, November 9). Giscard declares Turkey too 'different' to join EU. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/11/09/giscard-declares-turkey-too-different-to-join-eu/826842dd-b769-4ef8-bc37-c8fa2fe80928/
  • Richburg, K. B. (2002, November 9). Giscard declares Turkey too 'different' to join EU. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/11/09/giscard-declares-turkey-too-different-to-join-eu/826842dd-b769-4ef8-bc37-c8fa2fe80928/
  • Said, E. W. (1993). Culture and imperialism. Vintage.
  • Said, E. W. (2003). Orientalism. Penguin Modern Classics.
  • Sayyid, S. (2022). Recalling the Caliphate: Decolonization and World Order. Hurst Publishers.
  • Schweitzer, A. (1987). The Philosophy of Civilization (C. T. Campion, Trans.). Prometheus Books.
  • Schweitzer, A. (1987). The philosophy of civilization (C. T. Campion, Trans.). Prometheus Books.
  • Spengler, O. (1920). Der Untergang des Abendlandes: Umrisse einer Morphologie der Weltgeschichte Gestalt und Wirklichkeit. Band I. Beck.
  • Toynbee, A. J. (1987). Study of History (Vol. II). Oxford University Press.
  • Uras, U. (2023, September 20). Analysis: Is Turkey’s bid for EU membership over? Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/20/analysis-is-turkeys-bid-for-eu-membership-over
  • Walker, R. B. J. (1981). World politics and Western reason: Universalism, pluralism, hegemony. Alternatives, 7(2), 195-227. https://doi.org/10.1177/030437548100700203
  • Zatari, F. (2021). Religion as a pillar for establishing a civilization: Al-Māwardī’s perspective. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 11(1), 240-257.
Toplam 41 adet kaynakça vardır.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil İngilizce
Konular Uluslararası İlişkiler (Diğer)
Bölüm Makaleler
Yazarlar

Fadi Zatari 0000-0002-6413-7407

Omar Fili 0000-0003-0421-1350

Erken Görünüm Tarihi 7 Haziran 2024
Yayımlanma Tarihi 13 Haziran 2024
Gönderilme Tarihi 15 Şubat 2024
Kabul Tarihi 26 Mayıs 2024
Yayımlandığı Sayı Yıl 2024

Kaynak Göster

APA Zatari, F., & Fili, O. (2024). One Universal Civilization: Superiority and Eurocentric Conception of the Rest. Türkiye Ortadoğu Çalışmaları Dergisi, 11(1), 97-110. https://doi.org/10.26513/tocd.1437916

Creative Commons Lisansı

TOÇD'nde yayınlanan makaleler Creative Commons Atıf-GayriTicari 4.0 Uluslararası Lisansı ile lisanslanmıştır.