Idea
Arkoun links the period after September 11 to the rise of hostile polarization between Islam and the West. The event did not remain merely a political or security incident; it turned into a sign that stokes mutual fears and feeds negative images. In this way, the gap between the two sides widens when symbolic rhetoric overpowers calm understanding.
Concise Formulation
After September 11: rise of: hostile polarization between Islam and the West
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim is important in building the book’s argument because it shows that the relationship between Islam and the West is not merely a theoretical disagreement, but a conflict of images and representations fueled by major events. After September, misunderstanding was no longer confined to speech; it became part of a general climate that multiplies tension. The text therefore links politics, knowledge, and the media.
Why It Matters
Its significance lies in the fact that it explains why dialogue becomes harder in moments of major crisis. It shows that Arkoun reads tension as the result of accumulated symbolic and political layers, not as a natural destiny between two civilizations. This helps in understanding his call to critique dominant discourses.
Brief Evidence
After 11 September, hostile polarization between Islam and the West intensified After 11 September, hostile polarization between “Islam” and “the West” intensified
Reading Questions
- How does a single political event transform the relationship between two civilizational images?
- Does the text address polarization as a media problem, an epistemic problem, or a political one?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.