In the coming decades, questions of identity, meaning cultural heritage, language, and religion will play a central role in politics.

Certainly here in the U.S., we've had fundamentalist movements that have taken very critical and hostile attitudes toward immigration and the assimilation of immigrants into our society and culture. So these tendencies are fairly universal. The problem is what if they get out of hand and become the dominant factor in a society, which can only lead to the oppression of minorities or even to war with neighboring societies with differing cultures. That's why it seems to me it's important to try to keep these tendencies toward extremism under control.

I think fundamentalism is this radical attitude toward one's own identity and civilization as compared to other people's identities and cultures.

I don't say that the West is united, I don't suggest that.

People have multiple identities.

Obviously Muslim societies, like societies elsewhere, are becoming increasingly urban, many are becoming industrial, but since so many have oil and gas, they don't have a great impetus. But again, the revenue that natural resources produce gives them the capability and so countries like Iran are beginning to develop an industrial component.

The core of the American set of beliefs has remained pretty constant.