‘Western’ and ‘White Civilization’: White Nationalism and Eurocentrism at the Crossroads

Abstract

This chapter picks up from chapter one on the tension between ‘old’ Eurocentric and nationalistic verses ‘new’ global(ist)–multiculturalist historiography from World War Two down to the present, with emphasis on the problem of the continuing conflation and alleged supremacy of ‘Western’ and ‘White Civilization’ within Western and World History narratives. It highlights how academic and political efforts to revive the teaching of Western Civilization in colleges and universities do not explicitly identify nor necessarily intend their agendas as ‘white nationalist’ or ‘racist’, but they nonetheless coincide historically and share much in common by way of themes and concerns with parallel white nationalist and racist attempts to revive and promote ‘Western Civilization’ in recent decades.

Special thanks to the following for offering critical comments on the initial draft of this chapter, or portions thereof: Edward E. Curtis IV, Lawrence Pintak, Theresa Jordan, Clif Stratton, Jared Secord and Ken Faunce. They all share in whatever quality and value the chapter has achieved. I alone take responsibility for its final contents and shortcomings.