The diversity of

fundamentalisms

Y

ou are poring over the newspaper one day

and you note the bewildering array of

references to fundamentalism. There are

chilling quotations from an Islamist leader with

his latest diatribe against Americans and Jews,

and the resonance that this is having from young

supporters in mosques who adhere to the tenets

of Islamic fundamentalism. There is also a piece

on an election campaign in the United States

where a candidate emphasises his concern to

placate, and yet somehow distance himself

from, Christian fundamentalists. Can he take a

position on abortion or homosexuality that

satisfies both Christian fundamentalists and

more liberal-minded republicans? Meanwhile the

Israeli prime minister is under fire for seeking to

move any settlers out of (a few) Palestinian areas,

and there is speculation as to whether he is doing

this in order to maintain the other settlements

that the international community deems illegal.

His critics within Israel are labelled ‘Jewish

fundamentalists’.

In the Business section of the paper there is a

lively debate about globalisation with one of the

contenders arguing that international economic

policies are too often motivated by what she

refers to as ‘market fundamentalism’. The paper

seems to assume that the term ‘fundamentalist’

is self-explanatory, although it is clear that very

different movements are being given the same

label. Most are religious, but not all, and each

is strongly opposed to the other. Islamic funda-

mentalists are hostile to Christian fundamen-

talists and vice versa. Both are critical of Jewish

fundamentalists, and all three are opposed to

market fundamentalism.

Continued

Abu Izzadeen radical Muslim protestors pictured outside the closing ceremony

of the London 2012 Olympics

© Chris Harvey/Demotix/Corbis