The Idea
This claim appears as a critical reading of globalization rather than a celebration of it. The point is that globalization does not open the world on equal terms; instead, it makes the West a present standard in defining values, knowledge, and legitimacy. For that reason, cultural relations within it appear unequal, and the dominance of the Western center becomes part of the framework within which Arkoun thinks about the crisis of contemporary thought.
Concise Formulation
Globalization: makes: the West a dominant reference
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim lies at the heart of the book’s argument when Arkoun links his critique of fundamentalist thought to the transformation of the modern world itself. Globalization here is not a neutral backdrop, but a condition that presses upon non-Western societies and rearranges their position in knowledge and power. In this sense, the claim shows that the crisis of foundationalism cannot be understood apart from the global balance of power.
Why It Matters
The importance of the claim lies in the way it prevents Arkoun from being read as merely inward-looking or local. It connects the religious question to the question of cultural hegemony, and shows that thinking about identity cannot be separated from the conditions of an unequal world. In this way, it helps the reader understand why Arkoun does not settle for traditional responses, but instead calls for a reconsideration of the self’s position within the age.
Brief Evidence
The text presents globalization as a critical rather than celebratory framework. The point is that it does not open the world on equal terms, but makes the West a dominant reference in defining values, knowledge, and legitimacy. Thus cultural relations become unequal, and the hegemony of the Western center enters into the core of the crisis of contemporary thought.
Reading Questions
- How does globalization make the West a dominant reference, according to this text?
- What does this claim add to our understanding of the crisis of fundamentalist thought?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book material.