We may have entered a turning-point moment in the modern history of the West. If so, France stands at the cutting edge. The quite extraordinary political upheavals there, reaching a climax in just concluded parliamentary elections, suggest that the Huntington thesis, as it came to be known, may be of resurgent significance.

Samuel Huntington’s The Clash of Civilisations made a huge impact on release in 1996, a book that became as controversial as it was influential. Huntington starts with the observation that cultural identity is what is most meaningful to most people. Culture counts, as demonstrated symbolically in the importance of flags, crosses, crescents, and even head coverings.