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II. Selected Essays from "Fundamentalism(s)"
We have selected four essays from the SSRC collection
on "Fundamentalism(s)" which we believe are particularly
accessible and thought-provoking for advanced high school
students and undergraduates.
Click here for index to SSRC essays on Fundamentalism(s).
"September 11 and the Struggle for Islam"
by Robert W. Hefner
Synopsis: Robert Hefner argues that the attacks of
September 11th do not reflect a clash of civilizations
between Islam and the West. Instead, he sees the attacks as
the latest chapter in an internal debate among Muslims. He
describes the history of this long struggle between moderate
Muslims and Islamist hardliners, and the ways in which Islam
and democracy can be reconciled. He calls for US support for
an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as a
commitment to educational and economic programs in the Muslim
world that insure the majority of Muslims a stake in
government.
"Neo-Fundamentalism"
by Olivier Roy
Synopsis: Olivier Roy contrasts what he calls
"neo-fundamentalist" Islamic groups (among which the
Taliban and Al Qaida can be counted) with more traditional
"Islamist" groups. Both of these brands of modern Islamic
fundamentalism are similar in their view of Islam not as a
mere religion, but also as a political ideology to be
integrated into all aspects of society. However,
neo-fundamentalism goes beyond Islamist movements, combining
a new breed of the political Jihad against the West with a
very conservative definition of Islam. Moreover,
neo-fundamentalism is not tied to a particular nation or
national identity; it is a product of contemporary
globalization.
"The Future of Secular Values"
by Wang Gungwu
Synopsis: Wang Gungwu discusses secularism in relation
to the major value systems in the world. While value
systems, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, have
been reconciled with secular principles at various points in
history, Islam has not. Today, there is growing global
resistance to secularism, among Muslims and others around the
world, as the promises of capitalist and communist secularism
are not realized. Wang Gungwu calls for the acceptance of
people's need for spirituality, and for a less
fundamentalist and more tolerant approach to secularism.
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