Civilizational Dimension of World Politics: Problems and Opportunities

Abstract

The article considers the civilizational dimension of world politics. In the conditions of the transitional era, the crisis of the Western industrial model of development, the demographic transition and the change in the technological order, the deep foundations of societies that belong to this or that civilization remain important. Religious and cultural factors began to exert a more marked influence on international political and economic processes in both East and West. Examples of this can be seen not only in the countries of the Arab East, but also in Western Europe. The transformation of the world system today is determined by the parameters of globalization and regionalization: on the one hand, the desire of Western countries led by the US to maintain its dominant position in the world, and on the other, the growing importance of nonWestern countries (BRICS, SCO, etc.). An important aspect of the ongoing confrontation is the civilizational differences, in particular, the religious and secular worldview. This circumstance does not make the “clash of civilizations” inevitable, but encourages them to cooperate and more adequately take into account the cultural and civilizational factor in international relations.

Keywords

• civilization
• culture
• religion
• world politics
• east
• west