Articles

On the Civilizational Identification and the Crisis of the Nation States

Vostok/Oriens '2014, №4

 
The author analyzes different dimensions of cultural/civilizational identity and the nature of relationships between the values of different regional/cultural clusters, as well as vectors of nation states’ evolution amid an increasing hyper-globalization that require a fundamental theoretical rethinking. Acute polemics over an identity choice in modern Russia between supporters of different identity models is compared to the 19th century debates between the adherents of pochvennichestvo and zapadnichestvo. The issue of identity crisis in many societies is tackled with the focus on those with Muslim communities. A particular attention is paid to modernization projects based on different patterns of relations between cultures – differentialism, convergence, and hybridization (after Pieterse). In the realm of the civilizational identity paradigm the protracted Arab-Israeli conflict is examined. The crisis of identity as the author shows is closely linked to historical memory. Religion in this regard gives not only consolation but also hope, and the sense of dignity. The article sheds light on the ‘myth–symbol complex’ and on the way it used to overcome identity weaknesses. The article investigates also into the present-day crisis of the post-colonial configuration in the Middle East that is related to the Arab Spring, as well as the rise of violence emanating from it.

Keywords: identity, nation state, ‘myth-symbol complex’, civilizations, Islamic culture, Arab-Israeli conflict, cultural convergence, violence

Pages: С. 5–20