The question really is what will be the central focus of global politics in the coming decades and my argument is that cultural identities and cultural antagonisms and affiliations will play not the only role but a major role.

Since the revolution of the 18th century, America has basically had an ideology of liberal democracy and constitutionalism.

And the big question for the West, of course, and to the Europeans is, what other countries, which were formerly part of the Soviet bloc, should be incorporated into western institutions?

Fundamentalist tendencies and movements existed, so far as I know, in all societies and civilizations.

Nationalism is a central ideology for people who are trying to establish their own states in which they can play a dominant role.

It was one thing to contain the Soviet Union in Europe because Britain, France, and Germany were all willing to join in. But will Japan and other Asian countries be willing to join in the containment of China?

The question really is what will be the central focus of global politics in the coming decades and my argument is that cultural identities and cultural antagonisms and affiliations will play not the only role but a major role.