The Fundamentalist Mindset: Psychological Perspectives on Religion, Violence, and History

The lives of hundreds of millions of people have been saved and enriched by their strong religious commitments. And yet a global epidemic of fundamentalism draws many of the furiously religious to violence. In this penetrating book, a group of scholars illuminate the psychology of fundamentalism, focusing largely on this vitally significant intersection of religion and violence. What accounts for the violence that can be found among some fundamentalist groups? The contributors identify several factors: a radical dualism, where everything is divided sharply between good or evil; a pernicious literalism; group vulnerabilities; paranoid thinking; and an apocalyptic world view. After examining each of these characteristics in detail, and showing why they have the potential to lead to violence, the rich essays in this book explore such areas as Muslim Jihadi violence, as well as fundamentalism in the American experience. The book also highlights the psychology underlying fundamentalism that can be seen in such historical crises as the French Revolution, the Nazi movement, and post-Partition Hindu fundamentalism.