This research challenges the universal application of Westphalian legitimacy. Using Syria as a case study, it shows how external notions of sovereignty clash with internal consent. From Ottoman rule to the Ba’athists and the recent regime shift, Syria illustrates how Realpolitik overrides popular will. The study argues for a global order that respects grassroots self-determination over imposed political models.
Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations argues Islam and the West are destined to collide, yet this framing is misleading. Civilisations are not monoliths, and violence is not unique to religion. Western liberalism and secularism, often portrayed as neutral, function as ideologies with their own propensity for domination and violence. The true clash lies not in culture, but in competing ideologies seeking global supremacy.