fundamentalism in the last several decades is a wail that reflects the real pain
and suffering of the oppressed, downtrodden and marginalized in a global
age. Fundamentalism is the opiate of displaced, alienated people. It emerges
as an attempt to redress real and imaginary grievances when other channels
are blocked. We have thus witnessed the rapid rise of fundamentalist reli-
gious orientations throughout the world as a defense against the adversities
and failures of modernity to improve life in many traditional societies. It
appeals to “invented traditions”, returning to “roots”, and paving a path to
moral renewal, promising the restoration of an earlier and better imaginary
Golden Age. Some popular understandings of fundamentalism claim it is an
age old phenomenon tied to ancient conflicts. Rather, it is a modern phe-
nomenon, a movement that must be understood as a reaction to current
events, conditions and political struggles in the curent era.
When we conjoin economic adversity and political domination that does
not allow voice, redress or amelioration, with 1) attenuated social ties and
challenges to traditional male domination, and 2) cultural challenges to tra-
ditional morals, values and beliefs, we see fertile ground for fundamental-
ism as reactionary compensation that would “turn back the clock”. While on
the one hand, globalization has fostered progressive changes such as pres-
sures for transparency, democracy, and has also mobilized progressive resis-
tance movements such as global justice movements and/or workers and
feminists challenging inequality and exploitation, on the other hand, far more
often and for far more people, globalization has fostered various reactionary
fundamentalisms that would sustain traditional sources of status, honor and
dignity, while defending communities from “immoral” influences.
Religion, as Marx pointed out, while appearing as a set of ideas, is shaped
by material conditions, class arrangements. Fundamentalism has been a wide
spread movement found in many religions that calls for the primacy of reli-
gious laws and religiously-based ways life.Fundamentalism proclaims a reli-
gious absolutism that demands scripturally derived belief and practices must
be the basis of civil law and the general way of life for all. For Martin and
Appleby (1991), there are certain common “family resemblances” of funda-
mentalism regardless of its denomination:
- Religious idealism is the basis for personal and communal identity;
- Fundamentalists understand truth to be revealed and unified;
- It is intentionally scandalous – outsiders cannot understand it;
- Fundamentalists envision themselves as part of a cosmic struggle;
318 • Lauren Langman