RLMgB396 Religious Fundamentalism

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2023

The course is not taught in Spring 2023

Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Matouš Vencálek
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! RLB396 Religious Fundamentalism
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course focuses on the analysis of one of the most discussed topics of the contemporary religious scene, namely religious fundamentalism. It reflects the genesis of this phenomenon in the context of the modernization process and shows that, in contrast to the "media" image of religious fundamentalism as an anti-modern or pre-modern socio-cultural phenomenon, it is in fact one of the forms of the complex and multilayered phenomenon of modernity. In addition, the course focuses on the most radical movements associated with fundamentalism. Although the focus is on Abrahamic religious traditions, with which it is uniquely connected, the course shows that religious fundamentalism is gradually becoming part of other religious systems, especially as part of their efforts to respond to the challenges of modernity and globalization.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students will be able to:
  • define the basic types of fundamentalism;
  • analyze and interpret selected key texts of contemporary fundamentalism;
  • critically analyze the relationship between modernity and fundamentalism;
  • describe the differences between fundamentalism, religious conservatism and revivalism.
    • Syllabus
    • Definition of the concept and basic problems.
    • Fundamentalism as an anti-modern or other modern?
    • Christian fundamentalism as a model: Fundamentalism 1.0.
    • Transformations of modern society after 1945 and the new faces of religious fundamentalism: Fundamentalism 2.0.
    • Contemporary Christian fundamentalism, its forms and transformations.
    • Contemporary Islamic fundamentalism, its forms and transformations.
    • Fundamentalism as part of globalization: Fundamentalism 3.0.
    Literature
      required literature
    • Global rebellionreligious challenges to the secular state, from Christian militias to al Qaeda. Edited by Mark Juergensmeyer. Rev. ed. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008, xii, 370 p. ISBN 9780520934764. info
    • JUERGENSMEYER, Mark. Teror v mysli boží : globální vzestup náboženského násilí. Translated by Tomáš Suchomel. 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury, 2007, 382 s. ISBN 9788073251093. info
    • Reflections on multiple modernitiesEuropean, Chinese, and other interpretations. Edited by Dominic Sachsenmaier - S. N. Eisenstadt. Boston: Brill, 2002, x, 314 p. ISBN 9004127976. info
    • KEPEL, Gilles. Boží pomsta : křesťané, židé a muslimové znovu dobývají svět. Translated by Růžena Ostrá. 1. vyd. Brno: Atlantis, 1996, 182 s. ISBN 8071081205. info
    • EISENSTADT, S. N. Patterns of modernity. 1st pub. Washington: New York University Press, 1987, vii, 223 s. ISBN 0-8147-2172-9. info
      recommended literature
    • KEPEL, Gilles. Válka v srdci islámu. 1. české vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 2006, 294 s. ISBN 8024612178. info
    • Comparative civilizations and multiple modernities. Edited by S. N. Eisenstadt. Boston: Brill, 2003, vi, 1055 p. ISBN 9004125345. info
    • BARŠA, Pavel. Západ a islamismus :střet civilizací, nebo dialog kultur? 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury, 2001, 188 s. ISBN 80-85959-96-8. info
    • MENDEL, Miloš. Islámská výzva : z dějin a současnosti politického islámu. Vyd. 1. V Brně: Atlantis, 1994, 230 s. ISBN 8071080888. info
    • The origins and diversity of axial age civilizations. Edited by S. N. Eisenstadt. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1986, xiii, 556. ISBN 088706096X. info
    • AJZENŠTAT, Šmu'el Noach. Building states and nations. London: SAGE Publications, 1973, 397 s. ISBN 0803902441. info
    Teaching methods
    Lecture, discussion, reading and analysis of texts.
    Assessment methods
    Active participation (20 %); final paper (50 %); excerpts (30 %).
    Language of instruction
    Czech
    Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
    The course is taught: every other week.
    Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
    The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
    • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2023, recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2023/RLMgB396