Tracing the manifestation of Samuel Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations" theory in the telenovela El Clon
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Abstract
Samuel Huntington’s “Clash of Civilizations” theory generated substantial discussion in academic and popular circles after being published in the early 1990’s. Despite being heavily critiqued and rebutted in the academic world, his ideas have proven more pervasive in general discourse. One of the areas where this idea remains resilient is television. In this paper, I explore how Huntington’s idea of conflict between different cultures manifests in the plot of the 2001 Spanish version of the Latin American telenovela El Clon. Through an analysis of the both the main character and some supporting characters, I trace the continuity of Huntington’s ideas of cultural conflict through selected scenes in introductory, middle and concluding episodes as the show’s protagonists attempt to navigate their problems. Additionally, I examine the reception of these ideas through the lens of certain Arab stakeholders and the general viewing audience. Through this portrayal, an understanding of how the show’s conflicts seem to reflect Huntington’s perspective will be demonstrated.