Understanding Fundamentalism

by Antoun, Richard T.

• ISBN13: 9780742562097
• ISBN10: 0742562093
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-02-21
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

The second edition of Understanding Fundamentalism provides a compelling and up to date picture of religious reactions against the modern secular world. Comparing Christian, Islamic, and Jewish fundamentalist movements, anthropologist Richard Antoun shows how all three share common characteristics. In each tradition, fundamentalists seek purity in an impure world, attempt to make the ancient past relevant to their contemporary situation, look to move religion out of the worship center and into every aspect of life, and actively struggle against the aspects of the modern world they regard as evil. The new edition addresses fundamentalism in the post-9/11 world, transnational religion, and the impact of religious migration on Afghanistan and Western Europe. A glossary and Antoun's readable style make the concepts readily accessible for beginning students. For classes in religious studies, anthropology, or sociology of religion, Understanding Fundamentalism brings a balanced introduction to these often-misunderstood religious activists.

Author Biography

Richard T. Antoun is professor of anthropology at the State University of New York at Binghamton

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Introduction	p. 1
The Complexity of Scripturalism	p. 37
The Past in the Present: "Traditioning," the Proof-Text, and the Covenant	p. 55
Three Strategies in the Quest for Purity	p. 73
Activism and Totalism	p. 85
Selective Modernization and Controlled Acculturation	p. 117
Transnational Religion before and after 9/11: Muslims in Western Europe and Afghanistan	p. 133
Glossary	p. 173
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 179
Index	p. 185
About the Author	p. 191
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