Fundamentalism
The Search for Meaning

Since the end of the Cold War fundamentalism has been seen as the major threat to world peace and prosperity. This book tackles the polemic and stereotypes surrounding this subject. It aims to expose the nature of both religious and secular fundamentalism worldwide and to explore its many forms.

Since the end of the Cold War fundamentalism has been seen as the major threat to world peace and prosperity, a concern that was exacerbated by the events of 9/11, and the 'War against Terrorism'. But what does 'fundamentalism' really mean? Since it was coined by American Protestant evangelicals in the 1920s, the word has expanded its meaning to include radical conservatives or ideological purists in many spheres of activity, not all of them religious. Modern applications of fundamentalism include Islamist radicals in the Muslim world, the militant Israeli settlers who oppose them as well as Sikh, Hindu and even Buddhist nationalists who seek to justify their political agendas by reference to divine edicts or religious tradition. This exciting new book tackles the polemic and stereotypes surrounding this fascinating subject.

1. Family Resemblances
2. The Scandal of Difference
3. The Snares of Literalism
4. Controlling Women
5. Fundamentalism and Nationalism I
6. Fundamentalism and Nationalism II
7. Conclusion