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Essay #2 Instructions: “Clash of Civilizations” or Muddleheaded Mush?

Read Huntington’s article, “Clash of Civilizations,” and watch the presentation “Clash of Civilizations” in the Reading & Study folder of Module/Week 2.

After reading the article and viewing the presentation, consider the following prompts in any order you choose to organize your answer:

·      In no more than 1 paragraph, summarize Huntington’s argument.

·      In another 1–2 paragraphs, defend Huntington’s argument’s plausibility or rational defensibility. Why does he believe that the organization of conflict will increasingly follow cultural-religious divisions?

·      In the remainder of the essay, critique the article. What are its shortcomings, weaknesses, gaps, or faulty assumptions? Hint: Think about key US allies around the world. Are they exactly like America ethnically, culturally, and religiously?