Fundamentalism in Comparative Perspective (VS1) (U02263)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : HCA-3-VS2-FCP

This course will discuss the utility of 'fundamentalism' as an analytical category when explaning a wide range of radical political cultures based on religion. The term has been and continues to be widely used in the media, and amongst political observers and policy makers. Religious 'fanaticism' has been (rightly or wrongly) identifed as a central cause of the new wave of Islamic terrorism, settler intrasigence in Israel, communal killings in India and the neo-Imperialist agenda of the Christian Right in the US. The overall approach of this course is thematic and comparative, measuring political movements and discourses in the US, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia against the concept of 'fundamentalism'. The concluding sessions of this course will then take up the findings of this cross-religious and cross-regional survey and debate them in a more general and conceptual framework.

Entry Requirements

? This course is only available to part year visiting students.

? This course is a variant of the following course : U00078

? Pre-requisites : A pass in any first level historical course and any second level historical course or equivalent. Visiting students should normally have 3 to 4 History courses at grade B or above. Before enrolling students on this course, Directors are asked to contact the History Honours Admissions Secretary to ensure that a place is available (tel. 503783).

Subject Areas

Home subject area

History, (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	09:00	10:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

The main framework of this course is comparative and theoretical. Students should acquire a better understanding of the role of religion in politics and learn to appreciate the importance of commonalities and differences in religious politics across time and space. Students if the history of Modern Britain, North America, the Middle East and South Asia are equally invited to contribute to the course and to explore possible similarities and connections in their respective field of study. The course encourages an inter-discipinary approach and would encourage students studying for a combined degree (such as Sociology and History, Politics and History and Social Anthropology and History) to share their additional expertise with students doing only History.