Religious fundamentalism

What is religious fundamentalism?

view of fundamentalism reflects on the past ‘golden age’ of society and seeks a return to the basics of faith.

RM arises when traditional beliefs are threatened by modern society.

Characteristics of Fundementalism: What is an authoritative sacred text?

a text that gives objective truth and portrays the rules in which followers should follow

What does Aldridge state a/b an authoritative sacred text?

notes that no text should be taken seriously, only by its interpretations can we gauge its meaning.

Characteristics of Fundementalism:’Us and them’ mentality

fundamentalist separate themselves from the rest of the world.

What did Davie state about an ‘us and them’ mentality?

notes that they seek to establish islands of certainty against what they see as social and cultural chaos.

Characteristics of Fundementalism: Aggressive Reaction

fundamentalist movements aim to draw attention to the threat of their beliefs and values, they do this by active in an aggressive manner intended to shock, intimidate or cause harm

Characteristics of Fundementalism: Use of modern technology

while they oppose modern culture, technology is often used to achieve their aims

Characteristics of Fundementalism: Patriarchy

Hawley notes that fundamentalists favour a world in which women’s sexualities and choices are controlled

Characteristics of Fundementalism: Prophecy

believe that the ‘last days’ will soon be upon us, in which the sinners will be taken to heaven and the sacred will rise from the dead and be taken to heaven

Characteristics of Fundementalism: Conspiracy theories

they’re often attracted to the idea that powerful, hidden, evil forces and organisations are in control of human destiny

What does Davie argue about fundamentalism and modernity?

argues that fundamentalism occurs when the traditional beliefs and values are threatened by modernity, they feel a need to defend themselves.

What does Giddens argue about fundamentalism and modernity?

argues that it’s a product of globalisation, in today’s modern society we experience a lot of uncertainty therefore fundamentalism acts as a faith-based retreat from the uncertainties of the globalising world.

What is cosmopolitanism?

way of thinking that embraces modernity and globalisation, it’s tolerant of the new ideas and beliefs of the population.

Ones lifestyle is seen as a personal choice rather than something prescribed by an external force -similar to pilgrims from the New Age

How does Bauman see postmodernity as a response to living in postmodernity?

brings freedom as well as uncertainty and a heightened awareness of risk. In this view many are attracted to the freedom of postmodernity however others still retreat to the safety of fundamentalism.

What is resistance identity as a response to post modernity?(Castells)

those who feel threatened and retreat to fundamentalism

What is project identity as a response to post modernity?

those who engage in social movements, feminism and environmentalism

Evaluation of fundamentalism and modernity

>Giddens ignores the differences between fundamentalisms

>They distinguish too sharply between cosmopolitanism and fundamentalism, forgetting about ‘hybrid’ movements

>They’re ‘fixated on fundamentalism’ ignoring how globalisation is also affecting such other religions as Catholicism

What is the main cause of fundamentalism according to Bruce?

> perception of religious traditionalists that today’s globalising world threatens their beliefs.

H/w believes that it is confined to monotheistic religions due to how they’re based off of the notion of one God and one sacred text in which their ideas and beliefs are based off.

What are the difference in some due to different origins?

in the West fundamentalism is seen as change taken place within a society e.g. diversity and secular choice of modernity.

Third World however they believe that fundamentalism is a reaction to changes being thrust upon it from outside e.g. western views imposed by foreign capitalism.

What does Davie argue about secular fundamentalism?

recent decades have seen the emergence of secular forms of fundamentalism, due to changes in modern society

What is the first phase of secular fundamentalism?

1st phase gave rise to religious fundamentalism-time of enlightenment, where philosophy held an optimistic secular view introduced the power of science and human reason to improve the world.

dominated all of European thought+helped to secularise all areas of social life attacking and undermining religious certainties.

RM a reaction to this secularisation process.

What is the second phase of secular fundamentalism?

The optimism had since been under attack by the views of postmodernity (since 1970s)+ resulted in a growing mood of uncertainty due to such events as global warming, the fall of communism and globalisation- led to the loss in faith in such secular ideologies as liberalism and rationalism, therefore these ideologies were struggling for survival along with the traditional religions.

supporters of these ideologies were, in turn, then attracted to fundamentalism.

How does Davie argue that both religious and secular fundamentalism can arise?

can arise due to greater uncertainties in the late modern and post-modern society, in which reasserting truth and certainty is increasingly attractive. As a result, competing fundamentalisms have become a normal feature of today’s society.

What is the clash of civilisations?

Religion - centre of a number of global conflicts, e.g. 9/11. Huntington believes that these attacks aren’t due to fundamentalism (aggressive reactions) but the nations themselves

What are the seven civilisations?(Huntingtonj

Wester, Islamic, Latin American, Confucian (China), Japanese, Hindu, and Slavic-Orthodox (Russia and eastern Europe).

nations are closely identified with a great religion, this means that there will always be fundamentalism within them as they attempt to defend it from secularisation

Clash of civilisation:How can religious difference be a source of conflict?

due to globalisation has made nations less significant as a source of identity, creating a gap that religion has filled. globalisation increases the contacts between civilisation, increasing the likelihood of conflict.

What does religious differences also do?

create the fundamentalist characteristic of an ‘us and them’ relationship with increased competition between civilisations for economic and military power;

religious conflicts-harder to resolve than political ones due to how religious beliefs are deep rooted in culture and history.

Evaluation of secular fundamentalism

>Jackson- Huntington’s work as orientalism, this is a western ideology that stereotypes Eastern nations and people as untrustworthy

>Casanova -Huntington ignores important religious divisions within the ‘civilisations’

>Horrie and Chippindale - see this theory as a grossly misleading neo-conservative ideology that portrays the whole of Islam as an enemy when only the minority fight in religious fuelled wars.