Fundamentalism comes from the root word fundare, which means a base or foundation. Swedish ministry of justice, action plan to safeguard democracy. Extremist religious fundamentalists predominantly exert their power. Download citation fundamentalism and terrorism citizens worldwide are becoming all. The group also said it was important to stick to what faith and a more literal translation of the bible told them. A beginners introduction to the islamic civilization.
Religious fundamentalism is a response to globalisation and the world ultimately becoming smaller due to an increase of technology. Wallace, an author and faculty member at northwesterns feinberg school of medicine, told an audience last week near the university of chicago that a christian fundamentalist in control of nuclear codes was a mu. The term fundamentalism has recently gained more attention and publicity in mass media and professional literature, yet it is still viewed in a negative way, especially after the rise of extreme groups around the world and the traumatic events of 911. This brings us back to the violence of religious terrorism and the central questionwhats.
Why is contemporary religious terrorism predominantly linked to islam. Fundamentalism, globalisation and religion flashcards. Religious fundamentalism is arguably a cultural defence mechanism whereby people attempt to preserve the cultural traditions that. Religious fundamentalism and terrorism springerlink. Further, we usually consider too few offspring of their troubled marriage. By historically defining terrorism and fundamentalism and then placing them within the context of current religiopolitical and sociopolitical discourse, one can observe the shift from nationalism into terrorism and therefore understanding the innate interconnectedness of fundamentalism and terrorism as a whole. Fundamentalism is a belief that the world is not complex, but really simple if you follow the simplistic ideas of the group at hand.
The relationship between intelligence and multiple domains of religious belief. Linkages to terrorism pakistans perspective huma baqai associate professor, chairperson department of social sciences, iba karachi, pakistan email. Yet the more popular islamic fundamentalism became in the media, the more scholars of islam recoiled from it. Introduction at first glance, the link between religious extremism and terrorism seems obvious. These people had a set of welldefined fundamental values. Finally, how these and other factors might combine to suggest a model of terrorisms role in. Policy debates about how to combat religious extremism, terrorism, and violence have typically pitted supporters of military and police force against advocates of economic and social development.
In islamic fundamentalism, it is the case both among sunnis as well as shiites, but it takes on particular characteristics in each group. The registered office of informa plc informa is mortimer house, 3741 mortimer street, london, w1t 3jh. What is the connection between religion and terrorism. Fundamentalism, terrorism, globalization, and the arab. On religious fundamentalism and terrorism zenit english. Religious fundamentalism, imperialism and the war on terror. The long road to extinguish religious fundamentalism and, concretely, the islamic, begins with dialogue within the religion itself, which is undoubtedly the most difficult. This is simply a history of some of the more significant groups and incidents throughout. Unchaining the mind and radically changing the world, by bob avakian published by insight press. Religious fundamentalism defines people by what divides them. There are diverse reasons and motivations for terrorist activities. This article explores four psychosocial religious factors that may help researchers conceptualize and explain why religious terrorism is predominantly islamic. Religious fundamentalism names an ideological perspective found in most, if not all, major religions and is currently associated with variant forms of extremism and religiouslymotivated acts of violence, including terrorism. However extreme fundamentalism occurs when groups who consciously manipulate beliefs in order to suit their agenda.
A socio historical re consideration 552 besides wars, military and civil dictations that violet human rights and life, the most threatening social acerbic is the contemporary terrorism in its diverse forms and manifestations. Strategic concerns seemed remote from a world which had been conditioned to believe that the market was the source of contemporary history. This is not to suggest that it is the only model because nationalism and ideology remain as potent catalysts for extremist behavior. Religious fundamentalism are on the right and left of politics. When it comes to beliefs, most people like to play it safe and stay in the middle such as staying in the grey area instead of openly choosing black or white. Possible drivers of terrorist radicalization are varied and complex and combine. Engaging with faithbased organizations and religious leaders 146. Religious fundamentalism and terrorism elijah onyango standslause odhiambo1 abstract the study of terrorism is multidisciplinary, which includes fields like religion, sociology, criminology, political science amongst others. It is there right to believe and express their own views. Globalisation and terrorism for a long time, however, globalisation was not discussed much, if at all, by the security community. Fundamentalism usually has a religious connotation that indicates unwavering attachment to a. Religious terrorism t errorism in the name of religion has become the predominant model for political violence in the modern world. Violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism.
Preventing religious radicalisation and violent extremism. Virtually any type of fundamentalism can be defined as a strict adherence to the basic principle or belief system. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. History of terrorism this section will cover some of the major events in the history of terrorism internationally. However, those are not the only types of religious violence. The general idea is that by scrutinizing the inner workings and ambiguities of a major religion, the motivation. On religious fundamentalism and terrorism featured today. Religious fundamentalism, a belief in an absolute religious ideology with no. Terms as fundamentalism, extremism, terrorism, radicalisation, and. The talibans sharia law has nothing in common with afghan culture. By looking at the definitions and historical ties of fundamentalism and terrorism, exploring the religiopolitical and sociopolitical discourse relating to islamic fundamentalism, and examining the shift from nationalistic terrorism to religious terrorism, one can better understand the reasoning presented to argue that fundamentalism has, in.
I think it is somewhere inbetween davids and rodneys answer. Is religious fundamentalism by itself the root cause of radicalisation and. Importantly, this is not a full history of all terrorist incidents nor is it a complete history of the most important terrorist incidents. But literalism and centralisation led to fundamentalism and intolerance of diverse beliefs, as religious purists can use the texts to justify and expound very narrow definitions of. The trend towards textualism continued to spread with monotheism, almost becoming a defining feature. Religious fundamentalism as a paradigm for terrorism fundamentalism is bot h a specifically focussed mindset and a certain kind of narrow worldview, a modus operandi, which can apply to just. Fundamentalist terrorism the assault on the symbols of.
Religious fundamentalism, imperialism and the war on terror by bob avakian, chairman of the revolutionary communist party, usa. To establish a framework to respond, one must first examine the definitions of fundamentalism and terrorism, as well as their historical ties. However, religious extremism has become a central issue for the global community. This was the woefully inadequate interpretation of islamic fundamentalism as a solely religious. President bush merged a christian worldview with american politi cal concepts. By examining how religious fundamentalism has accelerated and intensified terrorism within the modern. Generally, extreme religious fundamentalisms combine an.
In any culture, religion, political ideology or fashion in any belief, whatsoever, you will always have the two ends on both sides of this grey area and that is the fundamentalist belief. Jost halfmann argues that fundamentalist terrorism is an extreme expression of protest against the separation of state and religion. Combine the typical sects comprehensive behavioral. Paper presented at the new zealand association for the study of religions biennial conference, queenstown, 68. Religious freedom and the struggle against extremism. He lectures in decision psychology, strategy, communication, and entrepreneurship and innovation. Some thought that the term fundamentalism failed to capture the methodology and. Whether based on religious, ethnic or political grounds, extremist ideologies glorify the supremacy of a. At first glance, the link between religious extremism and terrorism seems. Is religious fundamentalism a challenge to national. We have many home grown christian fundamentalism in the us. Fundamentalism was used at first to describe some people in the protestant community in the united states in the early 20th century.
So to sum up the significant connection between religion and terrorism would be the role of religion for extremist groups which legitimises specific violent actions in order to reach a goal. The islamic movement emerged in the arab world and britishruled india as a response to the dismal state of muslim society in those countries. Why is contemporary religious terrorism predominantly. The history and identity of fundamentalism is complex.
It is often partly motivated by a form of xenophobia against either strangers of another country or of another religion and a loss of. Islamic terrorism is the common term for violence,1 rooted on islamic fundamentalism, and aimed at defending, or even promoting, islamic culture, society, and values in opposition to the political, allegedly imperialistic, and cultural influences of non. In fact, its not always a religious thing, and we see fundamentalism in various guises. Islamic fundamentalism islamic fundamentalism 4 let us first of all find out what is commonly meant by fundamentalism. On religious fundamentalism and terrorism interview with professor joanandreu rocha. Third, western support for israel is one of the main reasons behind the failure and humiliation of arab countries, despite the arab leaders subservience to the west. Religious extremists are willing to murder because they embrace theologies that sanction violence in the service of god. Yet our understandings both of religion and of violence are inadequate. I would personally prefer to call this phenomenon islamic extremism, rather than islamic fundamentalism, although those engaged in. Media coverage is not expected to give rise to the desire of the people who watch or read using social media on news related terrorism to emulate, as well as the mass media are also expected to not only be an extension of the spread of the. Most afghan muslims belong to the hanafi school of thought, the most tolerant denomination of sunni islam. Religious fundamentalism and radicalisation european parliament. The terrorists ideological or religious perception 35.
A humanist scholar has declared christian fundamentalism more dangerous than islamic terrorism, the chicago maroon reported. These values were in opposition to more modern ideas. Religion in the new global war mark juergensmeyer when mohammed atta boarded the airline on september 11, 2001 that soon thereafter. The role of religious fundamentalism in terrorist violence taylor.
Four lessons from the study of fundamentalism and psychology of religion 3 the fundamentalism project directed by martin marty and scott appleby is a multidisciplinary army of scholars to understand conservative, ideologicallydriven religious movements springing up around the world. Why, though, have religiouslyaffiliated acts of terrorism become. Religious fundamentalism, martyrdom, terrorist violence. A vital policy toolthe advancement of religious freedomhas been. Thoughts on the 91101 bombings stanford university. M odern international islamist terrorism is a natural offshoot of twentiethcentury islamic fundamentalism. Pdf this paper challenges conventional views of violent religious extremism, particularly those that. Motivational parameters in islamic terrorism michael. Citizens worldwide are becoming all too familiar with the accelerated frequency of terrorist attacks in the 21 st century, particularly with those involving a religious underpinning.
The definition of fundamentalism in reference to religion is religious beliefs based on a literal interpretation of a religious text. In addition, understanding the dynamics between religion, politics, and society become important to place the nature. Preventing terrorism and countering violent extremism and osce. Pdf religious fundamentalism and political extremism. In the united states, some white supremacist groups and terroristsincluding several with. It focuses on the differences in humankind, rather than what unites them. Islamic fundamentalism, jihad, and terrorism byungock chang prof. Laitin 2008 point out that the hamas and the hezbollah, both fundamentalist islamic. The protest against secular states arises in states with forced modernization politics such as iran or egypt, but. Fundamentalism, terrorism, globalization, and the arab spring. The rise of the taliban and islamic fundamentalism.
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