Sept. 11 has become history. It still shapes the news.

In the wake of the September 11 attacks, a worldwide debate has resurfaced over how societies define themselves—whether by ethnic and religious affiliation or by universal principles of human rights and shared values. Scholars, policymakers and activists are grappling with the tension between particularist identities that can fuel division and the aspirational notion of a common humanity that underpins democratic norms. The article examines how this clash is shaping immigration policies, counter‑terrorism strategies and multicultural integration across Europe, the United States and the broader Middle East. By tracing historical precedents and current political rhetoric, it highlights the stakes of choosing one framework over the other for the future of global governance.

Now, as after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the world is churning over the identities of peoples and nations based on either ethnicity and religion or the values and rights inherent in all mankind.