Fundamentalism / Edition 2

by Steve Bruce

Overview

In a direct and punchy style, Steve Bruce grapples with the social strains and religious ideas that produced an explosion of fundamentalist activity in the wake of 9/11. The book investigates what lies behind the actions of Al-Qaeda, suicide bombings, the 'war against terror' and the continuing rise of the Christian right in the USA. It offers new insights into the Protestant fundamentalism of the American political right-wing, looking at the influence that abortion, gay rights and 'intelligent design' have had on foreign and domestic policies. The author's broad sociological analysis rejects the narrowly-conceived notion that fundamentalists are suffering from some kind of abnormal psychology, persuasively demonstrating fundamentalism's importance as a symptom of rapid social change. Social science has generally focused on the social circumstances that produce extremist movements and regarded their religious ideologies as window-dressing. This study takes the religious elements of fundamentalism seriously and will be essential reading for students of any discipline drawing on the sociology of religion. It will also appeal to those beyond the academic community who want to know what fundamentalism really means today.

About the Author:
Steve Bruce is Professor of Sociology at the University of Aberdeen

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2900745640760
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	03/10/2008
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.52(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Steve Bruce is Professor of Sociology at the University of Aberdeen.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements     vi
Introduction to the Second Edition     vii
The Nature of the Beast     1
Modernity: The Great Satan     15
Islamic Fundamentalism     40
Fundamentalism in the United States     68
Fundamentalisms: Causes and Consequences     96
References     127
Index     133

Editorial Reviews

Admirably concise, the book presents a comprehensive treatment of the subject ... It’s a highly engaging and accessible introduction.”
Times Higher Education

"Steve Bruce writes always with great lucidity from a clearly stated point of view. His essay on fundamentalism is no exception. It is well informed and easily accessible and it deserves to be taken seriously even by people who disagree with his view."
Martin Riesebrodt, University of Chicago

"The term fundamentalism is generally used carelessly, and often used rhetorically to suggest (for example) that American (or Ulster) conservative Protestants are on a par with Islamist radicals. In this important and definitive book Steve Bruce provides a trenchant sociological analysis of what fundamentalism is, and outlines its kinds, causes and consequences. He also sets his analysis of fundamentalism in the context of an extremely succinct account of secularisation. In particular he shows that fundamentalism of whatever kind has no chance of succeeding. This is a very useful book for the commentariat as well the interested educated reader."
David Martin, London School of Economics and Political Science

"Trenchant, informative and wide-ranging, Steve Bruce’s book demolishes popular myths, forcing us to confront the complex social realities of traditionally-minded religious communities threatened by the incursions of secular modernity. Fundamentalism is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of religion in the contemporary world."
Alan Aldridge, University of Nottingham

From the Publisher