The meaning of the concept in this book
For Arkoun, fundamentalism is not merely an attachment to inherited tradition, but the product of a long history of institutional ignorance, political theology, and distorted representations of religion. It is tied to a mode of mobilization that links religion to power and resists criticism, turning it into a force that confines understanding to closed certainties and weakens the intellectual and philosophical sphere.
Its place in the book’s argument
This concept is used to explain a central aspect of the crisis of contemporary Islam as a crisis with multiple causes, not a single one. It enters the book’s argument from the standpoint that fundamentalism arises when religion is nationalized and its purposes are held captive, when the politicization of religion intertwines with identity after independence, and when political violence obscures the ethical question. Fundamentalism is therefore not understood here as an isolated religious condition, but as a historical, epistemic, and political outcome all at once.
How it works within the atlas
Within the atlas, the concept functions as a point of connection between criticism of sacred ignorance, criticism of politicization, and the need for critical and historical inquiry. It is also linked to the idea that mutual ignorance and polite dialogue do not stop fundamentalism, and that recognizing the other requires critical dialogue rather than theological veneration. Through this trajectory, it becomes clear that dismantling fundamentalism and uncovering its roots is part of a broader project of renewing the understanding of Islam through historical and scientific criticism, and through epistemic and educational reform.
Nearby pages
- Imagined Islamic fundamentalism
- Islamic fundamentalism is the product of political theology
- Fundamentalism arises when religion is nationalized and its purposes are held captive
- Critical inquiry is necessary to free thought from fundamentalism
- Combating extremism requires educational and epistemic reform