Product Description

surrounding this complex phenomenon - one that eludes sim today, a conclusion impossible to ignore since the events in New York on September 11 2001. But what does 'fundamentalism' really mean? Since it was coined by American Protestant evangelicals in the 1920s, the use of the term 'fundamentalist' has expanded to include a diverse range of radical conservatives and ideological purists, not all religious. Fundamentalism could now mean both militant Israeli settlers as well as the Islamist radicals who oppose them, it can mean Christians, Hindus, animal liberationists, and even Buddhist nationalists. Ruthven investigates fundamentalism's historical, social, religious, political, and ideological roots, and tackles the polemic and stereotypes surrounding this complex phenomenon - one that eludes simple definition, yet urgently needs to be understood.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #248303 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

New Statesman, January 22, 2007
Stimulating.

About the Author
Malise Ruthven is a freelance writer and journalist, and visiting professor at the University of California, San Diego. A former scriptwriter with the BBC Arabic and World Services, he holds an MA in English Literature and a PhD in Social and Political Sciences from Cambridge University. He is renowned as a commentator on Islam and the Arabic world.

Customer Reviews

Provocative analysis
Don't be deceived by how short this book is. It is an intellectual powerhouse that cleverly presents the major developments and nuances of fundamentalism in its varied religious, political and social forms. Author Malise Ruthven is an exceptional guide on this semantic, religious and social journey as he delves into uncharted territories that a casual reader would never even begin to think are related to this complex subject. In this provocative book, Ruthven draws amazing links among conceptual beliefs and modern issues, including globalism, feminism, nationalism, modernism and politics. Given how well this little gem sustains its high level of intelligent investigation, getAbstract recommends it to readers intrigued by the subject. Even if you know what the newspapers say about fundamentalism, you will learn something here.

Good summary of fundamentalism - one or two assumptions challenged
The book explores fundamentalism in the modern world, particularly its variants in the Abrahamic faiths, and also Hinduism. One thing that they all share in common is that they are, far from being throwbacks to the past, very much the products of modernity and post-modernism. That is, with the rise of modernity, multiculturalism and multi-faith movements, religions which previously took the truth of their religion for granted are now confronted by spiritual and secular competitors for the souls and passions of believers. To counter this, fundamentalism has emerged, which in all faiths is characterised by a rejection of pluralism, contempt and hostitility towards rival faith systems and an obsession with sexuality, especially female sexual behaviour.

The book is a short, but very precise introduction to fundamentalism, which is highly recommended.

IS FUNDAMENTALISM OUR FUTURE?
This wide-ranging study brilliantly charts the spread of fundamentalist ideas within the world's various religious communities. Christian, Jewish and Muslim belief systems are shown to have been penetrated by extreme political ideas which are quite new, yet often present themselves as rooted in a mythical past.

Ruthven makes very clear that fundamentalism can have a variety of ambitions. The fundamentalism of America's Christian right aim to justify global evangelization and strengthen America's power. On the other hand, the Islamist ideas of Sayyid Qutb, which inspired al Qaida, have at their root a disgust with Western society or, as Ruthven puts it, reflect Islam's much resented loss of cultural hegemony. The Islamic fundamentalism of the Palestinian Hamas movement is essentially about territorial claims.

By going into fascinating detail about these ideas, Ruthven manages to explain their appeal to growing sections of society and their ability to justify violence on a massive scale. This makes for a terrifying scenario, but also for a fascinating read.