Thaqafat al-Awlama bi-Wasfiha Khitaban Mutatarrifan
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- Thaqafat al-Awlama bi-Wasfiha Khitaban Mutatarrifan
Thaqafat al-Awlama bi-Wasfiha Khitaban Mutatarrifan (The Culture of Globalization as an Extremist Discourse) is a critical philosophical treatise written by Algerian scholar Abd Allah al-Ashi, a professor in the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences at the University of Batna . The work critiques contemporary globalization as an ideological and coercive project linked to postmodern deconstruction and late capitalism, evaluating its impact on national sovereignty, cultural identity, and the Arab-Islamic world .
Conceptual Framework and Core Themes
Al-Ashi frames globalization within postmodern thought, arguing that both share a drive toward deconstruction—dismantling human reason, moral values, established systems, and collective national entities . He describes globalization as extreme capitalism, "post-politics," "post-culture," and "post-identity," viewing it as an adventurous attempt to reshape the world without historical foundations . The author maintains that globalization contradicts historical reality by attempting to homogenize human culture, categorizing it as a third phase of European imperialism following military and economic colonialism . He distinguishes between the ideological hegemony of Western globalization and the universalism of Islamic civilization ( ʿālamiyyah ), which he argues respected cultural and religious diversity .
The text analyzes the mechanisms through which globalization is enforced, characterizing its ideology as a modern form of utilitarian materialism that sidelines ethical and religious constraints . Al-Ashi identifies key vehicles of globalization, including:
- Media monopolies: Information flows dominated by major Western news agencies that shape consumer habits and dissolve local cultures .
- International conferences: UN-sponsored events—such as the Cairo Conference on Population and Development (1994), the Beijing World Conference on Women (1995), and the Istanbul Habitat Conference (1996)—which he argues function to align international norms with globalist paradigms .
- Institutional pressure: The subordination of global institutions, such as the United Nations and the Security Council, to serve unilateral hegemony .
Reception of Globalization and Forms of Resistance
Al-Ashi reviews the positions taken by contemporary Arab intellectuals across ideological spectra, noting that most Islamic, nationalist, and leftist thinkers—including Hasan Hanafi, Hisham Ghassib, and Muhammad Mahfoudh—oppose globalization as destructive neocolonialism, with figures such as Ali Harb being exceptions who viewed it positively . Drawing on Muhammad Abed al-Jabri, the author highlights how globalization threatens the tripartite foundation of cultural identity: homeland, nation, and state .
He identifies three manifestations of coercive pressure exerted by globalization:
- Monopolizing the interpretation of history and declaring the "end of history" at Western capitalism .
- Dismantling nations and states along sectarian and ethnic lines to integrate fragmented entities into global markets, citing the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia .
- Unilateral intervention to alter political and educational systems through force .
To confront these challenges, al-Ashi outlines a two-pronged strategy:
- Theoretical: Rejecting fatalistic acceptance of globalization, maintaining self-confidence rooted in Islamic faith and cultural heritage rather than adopting a posture of defeat .
- Practical: Modernizing political, cultural, and economic institutions; studying Western systems rigorously from within; participating in civilizational dialogue rather than pursuing isolationism or passive mimicry; and reforming educational and religious outreach ( daʿwah ) methods to safeguard cultural authenticity ( aṣālah ) .
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