Barbar Modern Civilized (Book)

Ibrahim Kalın’s work titled “Barbar, Modern, Medeni” examines the historical, cultural, and intellectual relationships between West civilization and the Islamic world. The book analyzes the West’s perception of East through the concepts of “barbarism,” “modernity,” and “civilization,” and investigates the transformations these concepts have undergone throughout history. Kalın, from an intellectual and cultural perspective, explores how Western-Eastern relations have been shaped particularly by orientalist discourses, offering the reader both historical insight and philosophical depth.

^{Barbar, Modern, Medeni}

The book traces the origins of the concept of “barbarism,” discussing its evolution from antiquity to the modern era. Ibrahim Kalın notes that in ancient Greece the term “barbarian” emerged as a designation for foreigners and gradually acquired the meaning of the opposite of civilization. He argues that Western civilization has used “barbarism” as a reference point to define itself. In this context, he illustrates with examples how the concept of barbarism has been employed as a tool to characterize Eastern societies.

The book includes a comprehensive section on the relationship and tension between modernity and civilization. Kalın contends that the concept of modernity was shaped during the Enlightenment period and that the West has tended to universalize its own values while excluding other civilizations. He details how modernity has been used as a tool of political and economic dominance alongside Western supremacy. Furthermore, he analyzes the responses of Islamic civilization to this process of modernization and its alternative conceptions of civilization.

Kalın centers his analysis on Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism, examining the West’s perception of the East within a historical context. He argues that Orientalism developed a discourse that defined the East as exotic, backward, and “the Other.” This section elaborates in detail how the orientalist perspective shaped perceptions of Islamic civilization and the role these perceptions played in Western colonial and imperialist policies.

The book discusses whether dialogue between civilizations is possible and how such dialogue can be established. Kalın argues that meaningful interaction between civilizations can only be achieved if both parties develop mutual understanding on equal terms. In this context, he examines the historical relationship between Islamic and Western civilizations through examples of conflict and cooperation. He emphasizes the influence of Islamic civilization’s contributions to science, art, and philosophy on Western thought.

The book also addresses the crisis of civilization confronting the modern world. Kalın asserts that this crisis is not limited to economic or political dimensions but also threatens humanity’s ethical and spiritual values. As an alternative to the crisis of modernity, he proposes the reconstruction of civilization through an understanding that places the human being at its center.