Juergensmeyer religious terrorism pdf

This articles approaches religious terrorism as violence or the threat of. Why do religious people commit violent acts in the name of their god, taking the lives of innocent victims and terrorizing entire populations. Core, misapplications and misunderstandings religion is a bad thing that necessarily fosters violent actions it is grave mistake to condemn any religion because of its misapplications by misguided adhetents it is important to separate religious traditionsreligions from eachother. In this widely cited work, mark juergensmeyer explores the emergence of religious terror ism, the acts of violence, occurring throughout the world, that are. Juergensmeyer s analysis, which was published in the huffington post and in an extended version at religion dispatches, has received much attention online, in official media channels and on blogs. The old ideologies of class conflict, anticolonial liberation, and. Abstract citizens worldwide are becoming all too familiar with the accelerated frequency of terrorist attacks in the 21st century, particularly with those involving a religious underpinning. The scenario that underlies the performance of religious terrorism is often one of cosmic war. According to mark juergensmeyer, religious terrorism consists of acts that terrify. As in prior acts of terrorism on this same popular mall, the news images of the bloodied victims. Reviews this dark, enthralling book not only documents the global rise of religious terrorism but seeks to understand the odd attraction of religion and violence. Why would anybody believe that god could sanction terrorism. Religious terrorism which is executed by those whose motivations and aims. However, religious extremism has become a central issue for the global community.

He rightfully includes in this category groups such as the u. Seeing as juergensmeyer is an influential and wellregarded scholar, an. No one who truly cares about matters of faith can afford to ignore the dangers that lurk within religious extremism, and juergensmeyer ultimately serves the highest aspirations of organized religion when he insists on shedding light on the darker corners of human belief and human conduct. Martha crenshaw, editor of terrorism in context in this important book juergensmeyer argues that the violence associated with religion is not an aberration but comes from the fundamental structures of the belief system of all major religions. Request an exam or desk copy recommend to your library pdf rightslink. Terror in the mind of god, fourth edition by mark juergensmeyer. The overall impression left with the reader is that severely disturbed individuals, acting essentially as lone wolves, are somehow representative of, or motivated by. Jul 23, 2010 religious studies remains, in large part, what it has always beenthe study of religious literature, ritual, organizations, and the likebut at the heart of it, there is the very difficult conceptual question of how to think about religion in a globalized world. Religious terrorism as performance violence oxford handbooks. Identifying patterns within these cultures of violence, he explains why and how religion and violence are linked and how acts of religious terrorism are undertaken not only for. Aug 07, 2011 mark juergensmeyer, expert on religious violence, and former president of the american academy of religion.

In this wideranging and erudite book, mark juergensmeyer asks one of the most important and perplexing questions of our age. American christians who support abortion clinic bombings and militia actions. Juergensmeyer is a powerful, skillful writer whose deeply empathetic interviewing techniques allow readers to enter the minds of some of the late 20th centurys most feared religious. Core, misapplications and misunderstandings religion is a bad thing that necessarily fosters violent actions it is grave mistake to condemn any religion because of its misapplications by misguided adhetents it is important to separate religious traditionsreligions from. Religious terrorism is a type of religious violence where terrorism is used as a tactic to achieve. Juergensmeyer analyzes recent incidents of global religious terrorism in order to illumine overarching patterns that heighten the risk of religious violence. Pdf violent terrorism in the name of religion pdf charles. Religious terrorism in particular has become an important national security issue. Thoroughly revised and expanded, the book analyzes in detail terrorism related to almost all the worlds major religious traditions. Could these violent acts be the fault of religion the result of a dark strain of religious thinking that leads to absolutism and violence. Juergensmeyer 2003 examined the elements of religion that can lead to extreme.

Pdf the terrorist attacks of 911in which alqaeda operatives. Although sporadic acts of terrorism do not lead to the establishment of new religious states, they make the political potency of religious ideology impossible to ignore. The first i call political religious terrorism, the second milleniaristic terrorism. He is distinguished professor of sociology and global studies at the university of california santa barbara. Terror in the mind of god, fourth edition ebook by mark. Drawing from extensive personal interviews, mark juergensmeyer takes readers into the mindset of those who perpetrate and support violence in the name of religion. Mark juergensmeyer argues that because religious terrorists believe they are waging a war between good and evil, they deem themselves exempt from the bonds of rule of law and other societal norms.

Though it was welcome news when the new prime minister, iyad allawi, announced that the militias of nine major political parties would disband and join the governments security forces by january 2005, this is only one of the monumental tasks and formidable obstacles that the new government faces. Similarly, juergensmeyer 2003 emphasizes that religious groups succeed in framing their local political struggles as cosmic. Understanding religious terrorism depends on developing a clear picture of what religion says about violence. A response to mark juergensmeyer religious violence amid love, compassion, and hate. This dark, enthralling book not only documents the global rise of religious terrorism but seeks to understand the odd attraction of religion and violence. Juergensmeyer received a ba in philosophy from the university of illinois. In the wake of any terrorist attack, the immediate questions are. Mark juergensmeyer is professor of sociology and director of global and international studies at the university of california, santa barbara. Or has the innocence of religion been abused by wily political activists who twist religions essential message of peace for their own devious purposes. He is the winner of the prestigious grawemeyer award for 2003 in the religion category and the author of the new cold war. This form of terrorism could have its roots in the misinterpretation of theological epithets, or it could be the result of extreme forms of delusion that may alter reality, and thus subject the individual to distorted versions of religious facts.

Mark juergensmeyer juergensmeyer, a professor of sociology and director of global and international studies at the university of california, santa barbara, is an expert in religious violence, conflict resolution, and the author of 22 books. Methodology this study utilized library research where secondary data on the subject drawn from books, journals, conference proceedings and internet was critically analyzed. Juergensmeyers analysis, which was published in the huffington post and in an extended version at religion dispatches, has received much attention online, in official media channels and on blogs. Author mark juergensmeyer has to grasp at straws to connect them with the rightwing groups that are themselves only vaguely connected with historic and institutional christianity. This is an important contribution to our knowledge of the relationship between religion and violence. At the same time, a relative decline has occurred in secular terrorism. Mark juergensmeyer has undertaken a fascinating project. Religious terrorism is a type of religious violence where terrorism is used as a tactic to achieve religious goals or which are influenced by religious identity in the modern age, after the decline of ideas such as the divine right of kings and with the rise of nationalism, terrorism has more often been based on anarchism, and revolutionary politics. Fundamentalism and terrorism by cassandra rausch this work is licensed under a creative commons attribution 3.

Mark juergensmeyer born 1940 in carlinville, illinois is an american scholar in sociology, global studies and religious studies and a writer best known for his studies of religious violence and global religion. Many muslims complain that the current news media focus on the proliferation of islamic terrorist groups in the middle east and other parts of the world unfairly portrays islam as a religion that condones the use of terrorism. Since september 11, 2001, we all need tools to help us understand what motivates religious terrorism. There clearly is a phenomenon, as mark juergensmeyer terms it, that can be accurately labelled as religious terrorism. Mark juergensmeyer, for instance, seeking a middle path between the view that religion does cause terrorism and the. Muslims in the middle east associated with the rise of isis, al qaeda, and hamas.

According to juergensmeyer, religion and violence have had a symbiotic relationship. Article pdf available in american journal of sociology 1071. These acts present a dramatic scene into which observers are unwittingly drawn. Oct 25, 2017 put simply, does religion cause terrorism. A socio historical re consideration 554 saighal 2003. Why has the rediscovery of religions power in recent years manifested in such a bloody way. The escalation of global violence terrorismassociated with religion and her institutions is an everpresent reality with us. This chapter describes religious terrorism as performance violence, illustrating that performance violence is planned in order to obtain tangible goals, and also to theatrically enact and communicate an imagined reality.