Western Civilization as Dialogue, Not Rupture, with the Past

Western Civilization as Dialogue, Not Rupture, with the Past

In his recent article “What Do Conservatives Mean by ‘Western Civilization’?”, Providence editor James Diddams notes how contrasting remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reveal a tension: there is no firm definition of “Western civilization,” yet the concept enables people with different philosophical precepts to unite around policy goals defending said civilization. I propose instead that a defi…