From Huntington to Trump argues that the “clash of civilizations,” an idea first raised three decades ago by Bernard Lewis and endorsed by Samuel Huntington, has created a template for understanding the world which has been adopted by both the United Nations and right-wing populist politicians in Europe and the United States of America. Haynes traces the development of the “clash of civilizations” from the colonial period through the end of the Cold War and 9/11 and analyzes its effects on society.

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In an influential 1993 Foreign Affairs article, Samuel Huntington argued that the main source of international conflict after the Cold War would not be ideological but cultural. Haynes (London Metropolitan Univ., UK) uses Huntington’s framework to examine contemporary international politics, particularly the rise of right-wing populism, “Christian civilizationism,” and the “securitization” of Islam in the US and Europe. In so doing, he also illustrates the shortcomings of Huntington’s model, observing that contemporary civilizations, including the “Muslim world,” are increasingly divided along sectarian lines. The first four chapters explain Huntington’s theory of the “clash of civilizations” and provide historical background on the rise of “Islamophobia” and “Christian civilizationism.” The next three chapters include case studies of the revival of right-wing nationalism in the US, Western Europe, and Central Europe, and a discussion of attempts to promote "intercivilizational dialogue" at the UN. Shedding light on significant contemporary events, such as Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 US presidential election and the rise of xenophobia in Europe provoked by the 2015 refugee crisis, this topical volume is an important contribution to the literature on post-Cold War international relations. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.