On Anthropology, Fundamentalism and Change (430 words)

Topic: Islamic fundamentalism and Christian fundamentalism are both regularly discussed in the news, in discussion shows, books, editorials, and the like.
What do you believe are the reasons behind the growth and spread of Islamic and Christian fundamentalism today?
How does the growth of religious fundamentalism in general reflect current events?

As the world changes, fundamentalism becomes crucial for some societies in order to hold onto to their beliefs they perceive as the most essential and the most central to their religion, as well as to explain what is happening in the world in terms they understand clearly (Antoun 2001; Eller 2007). Fundamentalists take a strong stance, sometimes a violent one, against change, labeling in black and white terms what is good and what is bad (Beeman 2002). They perceive themselves to be the saviors of their society (Beeman 2002), often “demonizing the ‘Other’” (Nagata 2001: 481)....

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