Fundamentalism as a Specific Form of Islamism

Antonello Canzano

doi:10.4236/aasoci.2019.98028

Abstract

The article is taken as its starting point from the concept of “strong religion” in which the phenomenon of fundamentalism develops trying to circumscribe it in its specific theoretical and practical sphere, analysing its genesis, the modalities of development and its consequences. The fundamentalism is often used in reference to things and facts that have little to do with what is authentically meant by fundamentalism. First of all it is our task in this article to understand the true nature and possible consequences of fundamentalism in our age. The analysis that is developed in this article mainly refers to fundamentalism in the Islamic context, presenting Islam as a specific form of fundamentalism in its main characteristics: structural, ideological and organizational. Finally, one wonders if another Islam is possible and if it is able to prevail, stopping the current trends in terms of radicalization and violence.

Highlights

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of fundamentalism in Islam
The fundamentalism that seems at this stage to take the leadership in the Islamic world, with all the consequences described in terms of political conflict and violence, we ask ourselves whether within the broad and varied Islamic tradition it’s possible to locate some currents that aim at affirming a different Islam that favours moderatism-oriented interpretations
In order to better understand its origin we have seen how fundamentalism fits within the wider development of Islamic reformism

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of fundamentalism in Islam. It is not supposed to give an all-encompassing picture of the entire phenomenon, as it will just cover its most typical characteristics and extent. In the path developed in this article it highlighted the specificity of the fundamentalist phenomenon that develops in relation to a specific religious tradition, mainly stimulated by the comparison with modernity, cultural and socio-political pluralism. The analysis that follows will assume fundamentalism as a phenomenon that related to a religious tradition, is configured mainly as a radical political-ideological event that is antagonistic to the “external world” associated with the idea of the enemy and in which the main resources are established by the leader’s charisma and internal mobilization

Canzano DOI

The Prelude to Fundamentalism

The Structure of Islamist Fundamentalism

Is It Possible to Develop a Different Islam?

Findings

Conclusion