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In the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy
The phrase "civilizational erasure" appears in the November/December 2025 National Security Strategy document, primarily in the context of Europe. Context: The document argues that mass migration, declining birth rates, and "anti-democratic" policies in Europe could lead to its "civilizational erasure" within 20 years.
Reception: The claim has been met with significant criticism from European officials and political experts, who have described the language as echoing far-right conspiracy theories such as the "great replacement theory".
Political Implications: The strategy document suggests that some European countries may not be "reliable allies" in the future if these trends continue, marking a shift in U.S. foreign policy rhetoric.
In Academic and Other "Papers"
Outside of the political context, the concept of "civilization erasure" or the "erasure of civilization" appears in academic literature across various fields: Colonialism and Epistemic Erasure: Several papers discuss how colonial forces have historically attempted to erase indigenous cultures, languages, and knowledge systems by imposing their own epistemologies and power structures.
Historical and Cultural Preservation: Research in late antiquity and archaeology examines the physical and cultural erasure of past societies, using practices like damnatio memoriae (condemnation of memory) and the destruction of monuments as a means of political and religious change.
Philosophical and Futuristic Scenarios: The term is also used in philosophical and scientific discussions regarding the potential end of modern civilization due to environmental collapse (climate change, resource depletion) or the development of advanced artificial intelligence (ASI). The novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy is often cited in literary analyses that explore themes of loss and the erasure of civilization.
