This lecture explored the key variables that could
determine the difference between a ‘clash of civilizations’
or a new dialogue between the West and the Islamic
world. Whether perceived as a ‘clash of civilizations’ or
an opportunity for dialogue, the September 11 attacks
fundamentally changed the ways in which people look
at the world, regardless of their social standing and of
where they live. An unprecedented degree of unity was
witnessed among states as diverse as the United States
and, for instance, Uzbekistan, or as antagonistic as India
and Pakistan. And yet, important questions need to be
addressed: How stable is the “Alliance Against Terror?”
Can it serve as a starting point for a new dialogue
between the Islamic world and the West? So far, dialogue
has been taking place mainly at the inter-governmental
level. In a number of Islamic states, this has generated
tensions between governments and segments of the
population whose anti-American sentiments were
aggravated by the military operations in Afghanistan.