Abstract
This chapter analyses the use of violence in the name of religion. Religious extremism is an ideology of certain movements, groups, individuals in denominations and religious organizations, characterised by adherence to extreme interpretations of dogma. It also involves methods of action by these parties to achieve their goals and spread their views and influence. The purpose of religious extremism is a fundamental reform of the existing religious system as a whole or of any significance of its component. Achieving this goal involves deep transformations of the social, legal, political, moral and other foundations of the society associated with the religious system. Religious fundamentalism is meticulous adherence to the strict interpretation of religion, while religious extremism goes further by including violent action to ensure this adherence. Following this analysis, the chapter provides a brief account of extremist actions taken in the name of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. It then discusses the balance between countering religious extremism and ensuring human rights.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
- 2.
Rapoport 2004, p. 61.
- 3.
Selengut 2003, p. 152.
- 4.
Ibid., p. 152.
- 5.
Pearce 2005, p. 349.
- 6.
Juergensmeyer 2000, p. 10.
- 7.
Guiora 2009, p. 12.
- 8.
Fox 1999, p. 119
- 9.
Huntington 1996.
- 10.
Barkun 2003, p. 60.
- 11.
Iannaccone 1999, p. 20.
- 12.
Berman and Iannaccone 2005, p. 21.
- 13.
Guiora 2009, p. IX.
- 14.
Ibid., p. 10.
- 15.
IPI 2019.
- 16.
UNDP 2016, pp. 12–13.
- 17.
Juergensmeyer 2013, p. 280.
- 18.
Emerson and Hartman 2006.
- 19.
Marty and Appleby 1995.
- 20.
Marty and Appleby 1992, p. 34.
- 21.
Haynes 2009, pp. 161–162.
- 22.
Pratt 2007.
- 23.
Ibid.
- 24.
Pfarrkirchner 2010.
- 25.
- 26.
Al-Modhaki 2010, p. 104.
- 27.
Ozzano 2009, p. 140.
- 28.
Btselem 2017.
- 29.
- 30.
Cares and Cusick 2012.
- 31.
Pratt 2010, p. 454.
- 32.
Al-Khattar 2003.
- 33.
Neal 2009.
- 34.
Stockwell 2006, p. 10.
- 35.
Armstrong 2000.
- 36.
Mofidi 2014, p. 166.
- 37.
Haynes 2009, p. 163.
- 38.
Khatab 2006.
- 39.
Akbar 2002.
- 40.
Haynes 2009, p. 164.
- 41.
Marranci 2009, p. 151.
- 42.
Esposito 2005, p. 165.
- 43.
CNN 2019.
- 44.
Boyle 2008.
- 45.
CBC 2004.
- 46.
RAND 2017.
- 47.
NBER 2016.
- 48.
CISAC 2019.
- 49.
Ibid.
- 50.
UN 2018.
- 51.
BBC 2009, para 27–29.
- 52.
Jerryson 2013.
- 53.
Amnesty 2017.
- 54.
UN 2017.
- 55.
Marshall 2004.
- 56.
Griswold 2019.
- 57.
Ibid.
- 58.
Foreign Affairs 2019.
- 59.
Guiora 2014, p. 22.
- 60.
UN 2015.
- 61.
USCIRF 2019, p. 4.
- 62.
Kravchenko 2018.
- 63.
Pew 2016.
- 64.
OSCE 2014.
References
Akbar MJ (2002) The shade of swords: Jihad and the conflict between Islam and Christianity. Routledge, London/New York.
Al-Khattar AM (2003) Religion and terrorism: An interfaith perspective. Praeger, London.
Al-Modhaki A (2010) I will meet you at the crossroads. Baheth For Studies, Beirut.
Amnesty (2017) Myanmar: Crimes against humanity terrorize and drive Rohingya out. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/10/myanmar-new-evidence-of-systematic-campaign-to-terrorize-and-drive-rohingya-out/ Accessed 25 September 2019.
Armstrong K (2000) Islam: A short history. The Modern Library, New York.
Barkun M (2003) Religious violence and the myth of fundamentalism. Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions, 4(3), 55–71.
BBC (2009) Buddhism and war. https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/war.shtml Accessed 25 September 2019
Berman E, Iannaccone LR (2005) Religious extremism: The good, the bad, and the deadly. NBER Working Paper: https://www.nber.org/papers/w11663 Accessed 25 September 2019.
Borum R (2012a) Radicalization into violent extremism I: A review of social science theories. Journal of Strategic Security, 4(4), 7–36.
Borum R (2012b) Radicalization into Violent Extremism II: A review of conceptual models and empirical research. Journal of Strategic Security, 4(4), 37–62.
Boyle MJ (2008) The war on terror in American grand strategy. International Affairs, 84(2), 191–209.
Btselem (2017) Settler violence: Absence of law enforcement. Btselem, 11 November 2017, https://www.btselem.org/settler_violence Accessed 25 September 2019.
Cares A, Cusick G (2012) Risks and opportunities of faith and culture: The case of abused Jewish women. Journal of Family Violence (27), 427–435. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-women-of-the-wall-demands-government-inquiry-into-violent-attacks-at-western-wall-1.7003709.
CBC (2004) Bin Laden claims responsibility for 9/11. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/bin-laden-claims-responsibility-for-9-11-1.513654, 29 October 2004, accessed 25 September 2019.
CISAC (2019) The Islamic State profile. Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation: https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/mappingmilitants/profiles/islamic-state#text_block_18356 Accessed 25 September 2019.
CNN (2019) September 11 terror attacks fast facts. https://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/27/us/september-11-anniversary-fast-facts/ Accessed 25 September 2019.
Emerson MO, Hartman D (2006) The rise of religious fundamentalism. Annual Review of Sociology, 32, 127–144.
Esposito JL (2005) Islam: The straight path, rev. 3rd edn. Oxford University Press, New York/Oxford.
Finkelman Y (2011) Ultra-Orthodox/Haredi education. In: Miller H, Grant LD, Pomson A (eds) International handbook of Jewish education. Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 1063–1080.
Fisher N (2016) The fundamentalist dilemma: Lessons from the Israeli Haredi case. International Journal of Middle East Studies, 48(3), 531–549. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020743816000477
Foreign Affairs (2019) The roots of Hindu nationalism’s triumph in India. (September/October) https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/india/2019-09-11/roots-hindu-nationalisms-triumph-india Accessed 25 September 2019.
Fox J (1999) Do religious institutions support violence or the status quo? Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 22, 119–139.
Griswold E (2019) The violent toll of Hindu nationalism in India. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/news/on-religion/the-violent-toll-of-hindu-nationalism-in-india Accessed 25 September 2019.
Guiora AN (2009) Freedom from religion: Rights and national security. Oxford University Press, Oxford/New York.
Guiora AN (2014) Tolerating intolerance: The price of protecting extremism. Oxford University Press, Oxford/New York.
Haynes J (2009) Religious fundamentalisms. In: Haynes J (ed) Routledge handbook of religion and politics. Routledge, London/New York, pp. 159–173.
Huntington SP (1996) The clash of civilizations and the remaking of the world order. Simon & Schuster, New York.
Iannaccone LR (1999) Religious extremism: Origins and consequences. Contemporary Jewry, 20(1), 8–29.
IPI (2019) Preventing violent extremism while promoting human rights: Toward a clarified UN approach.: International Peace Institute, New York. https://www.ipinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/1907_PVE-While-Promoting-Human-Rights.pdf Accessed 25 September 2019.
Jerryson M (2013) Buddhist traditions and violence. In: Juergensmeyer M, Kitts M, Jerryson M (eds) The Oxford handbook of religion and violence. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 41–66.
Juergensmeyer M (1993) The new Cold War? Religious nationalism confronts the secular state. University of California Press, Berkeley/Los Angeles/London.
Juergensmeyer M (1996) The worldwide rise of religious nationalism. Journal of International Affairs, 50(1), 1–20.
Juergensmeyer M (2000) Terror in the mind of God: The global rise of religious violence. University of California Press, Berkeley/Los Angeles/London.
Juergensmeyer M (2013) Religious terrorism as performance violence. In: Juergensmeyer M, Kitts M, Jerryson M (eds) The Oxford handbook of religion and violence. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 280–292.
Khatab S (2006) The political thought of Sayyid Qutb: The theory of Jahilliyah. Routledge, London/New York.
Kravchenko M (2018) Inventing extremists: The impact of Russian anti-extremism policies on freedom of religion or belief. USCIRF, Washington, DC. https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Inventing%20Extremists.pdf Accessed 25 September 2019.
Marranci G (2009) Understanding Muslim identity: Rethinking Fundamentalism. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke/New York.
Marshall P (2004) Hinduism and terror. Hudson Institute. https://www.hudson.org/research/4575-hinduism-and-terror Accessed 25 September 2019.
Marty ME, Appleby SR (eds) (1992) The glory and the power: The fundamentalist challenge to the modern world. Beacon Press, Boston.
Marty EM, Appleby SR (eds) (1995) Fundamentalisms Comprehended. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Mofidi S (2014) Political religion: Outcome and continuity of religious fundamentalism. IMPACT: International Journal of Research in Applied, Natural and Social Sciences, 2(5), 161–168.
NBER (2016) What explains the flow of foreign fighters to ISIS? National Bureau of Economic Research: https://www.nber.org/papers/w22190 Accessed 25 September 2019.
Neal LS (2009) Christianizing the Klan: Alma White, Branford Clarke, and the art of religious intolerance. Church History, 78(2), 250–378.
OSCE (2014) Preventing terrorism and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism: A community-policing approach. Vienna. https://www.osce.org/secretariat/111438?download=true Accessed 25 September 2019.
Ozzano L (2009) Religious fundamentalism and democracy. Politics and Religion, 127–153.
Pearce S (2005) Religious rage: A quantitative analysis of the intensity of religious conflicts. Terrorism and Political Violence, 17(3), 333–352.
Pew (2016) Which countries still outlaw apostasy and blasphemy? Pew Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/07/29/which-countries-still-outlaw-apostasy-and-blasphemy/ Accessed 25 September 2019.
Pfarrkirchner R (2010) Religious fundamentalism is not the problem. Matador. https://matadornetwork.com/bnt/religious-fundamentalism-is-not-the-problem/ Accessed 1 September 2019.
Pratt D (2007) Religious fundamentalism and extremism: A paradigm analysis. New Zealand Association for the Study of Religions Biennial Conference. Queenstown. https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/754 Accessed 25 September 2019.
Pratt D (2010) Religion and terrorism: Christian fundamentalism and extremism. Terrorism and Political Violence, 22(3), 438–456.
RAND (2017) Rolling back the Islamic State. RAND, Washington. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1912.html Accessed 25 September 2019.
Rapoport DC (2004) The four waves of modern terrorism. In: Cronin AK, Ludes J (eds) Attacking terrorism: Elements of a grand strategy. Georgetown University Press, Washington, DC, pp. 46–73.
Selengut C (2003) Sacred fury: Understanding religious violence. Altamira, Walnut Creek, CA.
Stockwell C (2006) Fundamentalisms and the Shalom of God: An analysis of contemporary expressions of fundamentalism in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. IAPCHE, Grenada, pp. 1–29.
UN (2015) Plan of action to prevent violent extremism. https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/70/674 Accessed 24 September 2019.
UN (2017) UN human rights chief points to ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing’ in Myanmar. https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/09/564622-un-human-rights-chief-points-textbook-example-ethnic-cleansing-myanmar#.WfJRrltSy70 Accessed 25 September 2019.
UN (2018) First report of the Special Adviser and Head of the United Nations Investigative Team to promote accountability for crimes committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. New York: UN. https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/N1837464_EN.pdf Accessed 25 September 2019.
UNDP (2016) Preventing violent extremism through promoting inclusive development, tolerance and respect for diversity: A development response to addressing radicalization and violent extremism. UNDP, New York. https://www.undp.org/content/dam/norway/undp-ogc/documents/Discussion%20Paper%20-%20Preventing%20Violent%20Extremism%20by%20 Promoting%20Inclusive%20%20Development.pdf Accessed 25 September 2019.
USCIRF (2019) Legislation factsheet: Anti-extremism laws. US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Washington, DC. https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Legislation%20Factsheet%20-%20Extremism.pdf Accessed 25 September 2019.
Vergani M, Iqbal M, Ilbahar E, Barton G (2018) The three Ps of radicalization: push, pull and personal. A systematic scoping review of the scientific evidence about radicalization into violent extremism. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 1–32. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2018.1505686
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 T.M.C. Asser Press and the authors
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Eraliev, S. (2022). Religious Extremism. In: Sayapin, S., Atadjanov, R., Kadam, U., Kemp, G., Zambrana-Tévar, N., Quénivet, N. (eds) International Conflict and Security Law. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-515-7_52
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-515-7_52
Published:
Publisher Name: T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague
Print ISBN: 978-94-6265-514-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-6265-515-7
eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)