Two recent articles have staked out the field. “What Do Conservatives Mean by ‘Western Civilization?’” by James Diddams begins with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez using the same phrase with entirely different meanings. In his response to Diddams, John W. Burge sees Western civilization as an unbroken tradition of Logos (reason) and the Great…
To wander through the ancient cities of Europe is an experience every American should have. Not only are these places the origin of so much we hold dear in the West—democracy, art, music, architecture—but they are simply a joy to behold. Their imposing, grandiose buildings stand surrounded by narrow, cobbled streets stuffed with shops and fantastic eateries.
Yet one must also reflect on what all…
The story of humanity can only be told through civilizations. In this context, the British sociologist Anthony D. Smith argued in his book Ethno-symbolism and Nationalism: A Cultural Approach that culture and politics play a complementary role in the creation of civilizational narratives around which nations and states are shaped. Myths, songs, popular history, and folklore have all contributed…
On May 10, 1940, Britain’s King George VI summoned Winston Churchill to Buckingham Palace to form a government. The immediate impetus for this move was Britain’s failures in the Norway campaign, especially the failure to hold Narvik. Churchill, as First Lord of the Admiralty, was the minister most responsible for that failure. But, as historian Andrew Roberts has noted, the debate “was as much…
Abraham Lincoln understood the covenantal nature of America, which he called “the electric cord.” The 16th president articulated the skeletal form of America’s cultural identity in Chicago on July 10, 1858:
We have besides these men—descended by blood from our ancestors—among us perhaps half our people who are not descendants at all of these men. They are men…
On the present state of Western civilization, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, noted former New Atheist and recent convert to Christianity, has written: “The civilization that gave the world individual liberty, the rule of law, freedom of conscience, and human dignity is not in decline because its enemies are strong. It is in decline because too many of its defenders have forgotten how to make the case for…
2K e Firaxis Games hanno annunciato che l’attesissimo aggiornamento “Test of Time” di Sid Meier’s Civilization VII sarà disponibile gratuitamente per tutti i giocatori dal 19 maggio. Presto i giocatori avranno la possibilità di giocare con la stessa civiltà per tutta la partita e di esplorare i nuovi sistemi di “Triumphs” e “Victories” completamente rivisti. […]
L'articolo Civilization VII:…
In his recent article “What Do Conservatives Mean by ‘Western Civilization’?”, _Providence_ editor James Diddams notes how contrasting remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reveal a tension: there is no firm definition of “Western civilization,” yet the concept enables people with different philosophical precepts to unite around policy goals…
In the realm of international politics, few moments have been as consequential as the Treaty of Westphalia. Signed in 1648 to bring an end to the Thirty Years’ War, the landmark treaty represented the beginning of the international system of nation-states we know and take for granted today. However, while the modern West could not be conceived of without nation-states, the very idea of the…
It’s not just what you say – it’s how you make people feel.