Samuel Huntington was an influential American political scientist known for his theory of a post-Cold War world order outlined in his 1993 article "The Clash of Civilizations?" and subsequent 1996 book. He argued that future conflicts would occur along cultural and religious lines between major civilizations, namely Western, Orthodox, Islamic, Hindu, African, and Sinic civilizations. Huntington defined civilizations based on religion, language, history, and values. He believed the most prevalent conflicts would be between Islamic and non-Islamic civilizations due to factors like religious differences and the Islamic resurgence. His thesis was influential but also highly criticized for overgeneralizing cultures and ignoring internal political factors driving conflicts.