The Illusion of Western Civilization

In this searing philosophical critique, renowned scholar Hamid Dabashi addresses the profound moral and intellectual crisis of the Western world precipitated by the genocide in Gaza. Dabashi establishes Gaza as an epistemic "ground zero" that completely shatters the myth of Western Enlightenment values, human rights discourse, and civilizational superiority. By rigorously scrutinizing the Eurocentric foundations of Western philosophy—from Classical thinkers to modern Critical Theorists—he exposes how colonial violence, racial exclusion, and imperial dominance have always been embedded within Western thought. The book positions Israel not as an anomaly, but as the quintessential material embodiment of European settler-colonialism. Through a interdisciplinary lens blending political philosophy, postcolonial theory, and cultural criticism, Dabashi argues that Gaza has permanently provincialized Europe, reframing Palestine as the central compass for true human liberation and decolonial knowledge.

It provides an uncompromising, brilliant deconstruction of modern Western hegemony, offering readers a vital conceptual framework to understand the global shifts, epistemic ruptures, and moral realignments following the events in Gaza.

Essential for scholars and students of postcolonial theory, political philosophy, Middle Eastern studies, international relations, and human rights, as well as general readers seeking a rigorous critique of Eurocentrism and modern imperialism.