The ebb and flow of peoples, ideas and innovations in the river of inter-civilizational relations : toward a global history of political thought

    Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperChapter

    Abstract

    While East and West have had their share of skirmishes and still have their differences, they have also influenced each other and borrowed heavily among themselves in the marketplace of ideas. This dimension of East-West relations is something that is overlooked, even denied, when many speak of the history and ongoing relations between peoples of the East and those in the West. With that in mind, this chapter seeks to make two general points. First, significant elements of the Western canon of political thought have denied both the contribution and the capacity of the East – and others - to add anything of value to the history of ideas catalogue. Second, contrary to that position, the chapter highlights some common intellectual ground and outlines the inevitable and unavoidable borrowing and exchange of ideas between the East, the West, and other traditions of thought. Using highly topical and supposedly exclusively Western ideas such as democracy and toleration as examples, I demonstrate the general interconnectedness between what are purportedly competing and non-compatible traditions of political thought.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationWestern Political Thought in Dialogue with Asia
    EditorsTakashi Shogimen, Cary J. Nederman
    Place of PublicationU.S.
    PublisherLexington Books
    Pages87-107
    Number of pages21
    ISBN (Electronic)9780739131411
    ISBN (Print)9780739123782
    Publication statusPublished - 2009

    Keywords

    • East and West
    • political science

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