secular fundamentalism

aqa a level sociology - beliefs in society - religion in a global context - secular fundamentalism

who came up with secular fundamentalism?

Davie

what two phases of modernity does Davie distinguish between?

• giving rise to religious fundamentalism

• giving rise to secular fundamentalism

what happens in the first phase that gives rise to religious fundamentalism?

• from enlightenment to 1960s

• optimistic secular belief

• progress based

• scientific & rational thought

• secularisation dominated all areas of public life

what happens in the second phases that gives rise to secular fundamentalism?

• since 70s

• optimism of enlightenment under attack

• loss of faith in major rational ideologies

what does Davie call secular ideologies that are struggling for survival?

past their sell-by dates

what is an example of secular fundamentalism?

the disintegration of communism in Yugoslavia in the 90s led to a secular nationalist movement justifying the ethnic cleansing of territory

what does Ansell see trends like those in France regarding Islam as?

a form of cultural racism using liberal language to disguise racist aims and actions

what does Davie say both religious and secular fundamentalism is the product of?

the uncertainties put forward by late modernity or postmodernity

what does Hervieu-Leger see fundamentalism as a form of?

recreated memories in late modern society that has suffered cultural amnesia

what is the clash of civilisations?

religious differences between civilisations that are a major source of conflict

what 7 civilisations does Huntington identify?

• western

• islamic

• latin american

• confucian

• japanese

• hindu

• slavic orthodox

how does globalisation affect the clash of civilisations?

increases the contact between the civilisations which increases the risk of conflict

what does Huntington see history as?

a struggle of progress against barbarism

what does Huntington mean by a struggle of progress against barbarism?

he believes the West is under attack from Islam and urges the West to reassert the identity as a liberal democratic Christian civilisation

what are the criticisms of Huntington?

• Jackson - orientialism

• Casanova - ignores important religious divisions within the civilisations

• Horrie & Chippindale - grossly misleading neo-conservative ideology that portrays Islam as the enemy

• Armstrong - hostility towards the West is a reaction to Western policy in the East, not fundamentalism

• the real clash of civilisations

what is the real clash of civilisations?

the argument that suggests Huntington’s idea that Islam holds fundamentally different values from the West is wrong

what evidence is there for the real clash of civilisations?

• World Values Survey - issues that divides West & Islam is gender & sexuality, not democracy

• support for democracy is high in both

• Inglehart & Norris - in the last decade, democracy has become the political ideology to gain global appeal

what is orientalism?

a western ideology that stereotypes eastern nations and people as untrustworthy, inferior or fanatical others

what function of religion today does Bruce identify?

cultural defence

what is cultural defence?

where religion serves to unite a community against an external threat

what does religion symbolise in cultural defence?

the group’s collective identity

what are the examples of cultural defence?

• Poland

• Iran

how did Poland demonstrate cultural defence?

• under communist rule 1945-89

• Catholic Church suppressed but continued to embody Polish identity for many

• served as a rallying point for opposition

• regained public role after the fall

how did Iran demonstrate cultural defence?

• Western capitalist powers had influence

• during 60s and 70s, the shah encouraged modernisation & Westernisation

• widened gap between rich and poor

• revolution in 1979 created Islamic Republic

what does Haynes argue about the Iranian revolution?

it was atypical of the Middle East because it was led by the religious leaders