On the first day of the Graduate Conference, Professor Cemil Aydın of the University of North Carolina delivered a keynote lecture titled “From Clash to Alliance? The Shared Intellectual and Political History of the Civilizational Thought.” The lecture examined the rise and persistence of civilizational thought in modern global politics. Professor Aydın discussed why ideas such as the “clash” or “alliance” of civilizations continue to shape debates on international order today.
In his lecture, Professor Aydın traced the history of civilizational narratives from the nineteenth century to the present. He explored their links with empire, decolonization, Pan-Asianism, Pan-Islamism, Afro-Asian solidarity, and the Global South. He also emphasized the need for more connected and historically grounded approaches to global history and international relations.
