Thoroughly revised and expanded, the book analyzes in detail terrorism related to almost all the worlds major religious traditions. No one who truly cares about matters of faith can afford to ignore the dangers that lurk within religious extremism, and juergensmeyer is ultimately serving the highest aspirations of organized religion when he insists on shedding light on. Buy terror in the mind of god the global rise of religious. When he died suddenly this past week he was working on a book that was set to land him as a pioneer yet again. Rise of religious violence comparative studies in religion and society mark juergensmeyer on. 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. Bray justified violence against abortion providers by braiding together several strands of christian thought, and manipulating them to fit his belief that the united states. Mar 12, 2020 updated and with a new preface, the first comparative study of religious terrorism explores incidents such as the world trade center explosion, hamas suicide bombings, the tokyo subway nerve gas attack, and the killing of abortion clinic doctors in the united states.
In this book, mark juergensmeyer seeks to explain why the religious logic of radhasoami, which is based on the teachings of medieval hindu saints, is so compelling to hundreds of thousands of businessmen, intellectuals, office managers, and other urban. His early books were on religion and social change in south asia, including religion as social. Juergensmeyer is a powerful, skillful writer whose deeply empathic interviewing techniques allow readers to enter the minds of some of the late twentieth centurys most. Apparently prepared by his colleagues in the al qaeda network, it instructed him and his fellow activists how to. It was also recently translated into norwegian, after which it has attracted some criticism in the norwegian blog circuit. Terror in the mind of god by mark juergensmeyer librarything. Juergensmeyer analyzes recent incidents of global religious terrorism in order to illumine overarching patterns that heighten the risk of religious violence. Behind the moral justification of using violence are. 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. Why do religious people commit violent acts in the name of their god, taking the lives of innocent victims and terrorizing entire populations. Juergensmeyer is a powerful, skillful writer whose deeply empathic interviewing techniques allow readers to enter the minds of some of the late 20th centurys most feared religious terrorists. By mark juergensmeyer over fifty years ago bellah rocked the field of religious studies with a pioneering study on japanese religion. In this wideranging and erudite book, mark juergensmeyer asks one of the. 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. 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. Religious terrorism is a demonstration, a drama designed to show that the state does not hold a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence. The author views these acts of violence as forms of public performance rather than aspects of political strategy. 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. Religion in the new global war mark juergensmeyer when mohammed atta boarded the airline on september 11, 2001 that soon thereafter slammed into the world trade center towers, he left behind a manual of instruction. He rightfully includes in this category groups such as the u. 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.
Sep 01, 2003 juergensmeyers book serves to remedy the undeserved neglect sikh religious violence has received from the plethora of books on religious extremism published since 911. Why would anybody believe that god could sanction terrorism. Mark juergensmeyer is a professor of sociology and global studies, affiliate professor of religious studies, and the kundan kaur kapany professor of global. Mark juergensmeyer is a professor of sociology and global studies, affiliate professor of religious studies, and the kundan kaur kapany professor of global and sikh studies at the university of california, santa barbara.
The basic argument that juergensmeyer makes is that religious terrorism differs from other kinds of terrorism, and does religion plays the justification role in introducing terrorism to the evils of the world. Publishers weekly juergensmeyer s work is a sensitive, comparative study of terrorist movements and the religious beliefs that motivate them. Incorporating personal interviews with world trade center bomber mahmud abouhalima, christian right. Each of the twenty compact chapters in thinking globally features juergensmeyers own lucid introduction to the key topics and offers brief excerpts from major writers in those areas. When we who observe these acts take them seriouslyand are disgusted and repelled by them, and begin to distrust the peacefulness of the world around usthe purposes of this theater. This question is outside the scope of juergensmeyer s plan for the book, because he makes no serious attempt to address issues of moral philosophy or theology. 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. Religious terrorism consists of acts that terrify michael bray bray justified violence against abortion providers by braiding together several strands of christian thought, and manipulating them to fit his belief that the united states was a totalitarian regime. He is the winner of the prestigious grawemeyer award for 2003 in the religion category and the author of the new cold war. Publishers weekly juergensmeyers work is a sensitive, comparative study of terrorist movements and the religious beliefs that motivate them. 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.
Juergensmeyer explores the 1993 world trade center explosion, hamas suicide bombings, the tokyo subway nerve gas attack, and the killing of abortion clinic doctors in the united states. Mark juergensmeyer born 1940 in carlinville, illinois is an american scholar in sociology. Basing his discussion on interviews with militant activists and case studies of rebellious movements, juergensmeyer puts a human face on conflicts that have become increasingly abstract. 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 strategic logic of suicide terrorism and hector avalos fighting words. The oxford handbook of religion and violence by mark. Juergensmeyers narrative is engaging, incisive, and sweeping in scope. According to juergensmeyer, religion and violence have had a symbiotic relationship since before the crusades and even. Violence has always played a part in the religious imagination, from symbols and myths to legendary battles, from colossal wars to the theater of terrorism. 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. Indias hindus linked to assaults on muslims in the state of gujarat and sikhs identified. The oxford handbook of religion and violence surveys intersections between religion and violence throughout history and around the world. Juergensmeyer is regarded as an expert on religious violence, conflict resolution, and south asian religion and politics and has published twentyeight books and over 300 articles. Journal of conflict studies juergensmeyer should be commended for his judicious yet very insightful treatment of different religious groups.
An example of the diversity of opinions may be found in two relatively recent and widely discussed books published in 2005, robert. 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. For decades, mark juergensmeyer has been studying the rise of religious violence around the world, including groups like isis and christian militias that have been involved in acts of terrorism. Everything you teach about religion you seem to like. The global rise of religious violence, edition 3 ebook written by mark. 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. Concepts of terrorism in terror in the mind of god by. Mar 12, 2020 in this accessible text, mark juergensmeyer, a pioneer in global studies, provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging field of global studies from regional, topical, and theoretical perspectives. Religious nationalism confronts the secular state california, 1993, and gandhis way. Religious terrorism is a type of religious violence where terrorism is used as a tactic to achieve. Since september 11, 2001, we all need tools to help us understand what motivates religious terrorism. The global rise of religious violence, a comparative study of religious terrorism.
Mark juergensmeyer is professor of sociology and global studies, and director of the orfalea center for global and international studies at the university of california, santa barbara. Apart from this there is no attempt at a comparison between religious and secular terrorism, something which might have made the common features of religious terrorism clearer. The book concludes with three essays reflecting on the global religious scene. Curiously, their positions are sometimes diametrically opposed. Juergensmeyer says quite clearly that isis is more political than religious, and it is considered. There clearly is a phenomenon, as mark juergensmeyer terms it, that can be accurately labelled as religious terrorism. He convincingly shows that while, in many cases, religion supplies not only the ideology but also the motivation and organizational structure for the perpetrators of violent acts, it also carries with it the possibilities for peace. Thinking globally a global studies reader powells books. Juergensmeyer comments in passing that only in terrorist groups motivated by secular political ideologies have women taken an active part. An example of the diversity of opinions may be found in two relatively recent and widely discussed books published in 2005, robert a. This, the first comparative study of religious terrorism, explores incidents such as the world trade center explosion, hamas suicide bombings, the tokyo subway nerve gas attack, and the killing of abortion clinic doctors in the united states. The return of christian terrorism by mark juergensmeyer.
Understanding religious terrorism depends on developing a clear picture of. You always say such positive things about islam and such positive things about judaism and hinduism, which one do you believe. Religious challenges to the secular state and gandhis way. Juergensmeyers book serves to remedy the undeserved neglect sikh religious violence has received from the plethora of books on religious extremism published since 911. The overall impression left with the reader is that severely disturbed individuals, acting essentially as lone wolves, are somehow representative of, or motivated by. Religious nationalism confronts the secular state, mark juergensmeyer here provides an uptodate road map through this complex new religious terrain. This, the first comparative study of religious terrorism, explores incidents such as. Why do religious people commit violent acts in the name of their god, taking the lives of innocent victims and terrorizing entire populationsthis comparative study of religious terrorism explores incidents such as the world trade centre.
Mark juergensmeyer author of terror in the mind of god. The cambridge companion to religion and terrorism edited by james r. Terror in the mind of god, fourth edition by mark juergensmeyer. Understanding religious terrorism depends on developing a clear picture of what religion says about violence. Drawing from extensive personal interviews, mark juergensmeyer takes readers into the.
This is an important contribution to our knowledge of the relationship between religion and violence. In this book, mark juergensmeyer asks one of the most important and perplexing questions of our age. This dark, enthralling book not only documents the global rise of religious terrorism but seeks to understand the odd attraction of religion and violence. A handbook of conflict resolution, both from uc press. Juergensmeyer is a powerful, skillful writer whose deeply empathic interviewing techniques allow readers to enter the minds of some of the late twentieth centurys most feared religious terrorists. Terror in the mind of god the global rise of religious violence. Oct 25, 2017 curiously, their positions are sometimes diametrically opposed. Updated and with a new preface, the first comparative study of religious terrorism explores incidents such as the world trade center explosion, hamas suicide bombings, the tokyo subway nerve gas attack, and the killing of abortion clinic doctors in the united states. Inside terrorism columbia studies in terrorism and irregular warfare. He has been a frequent commentator on news programs, especially after 911. Terror in the mind of god the global rise of religious. Aug 07, 2011 mark juergensmeyer, expert on religious violence, and former president of the american academy of religion.
Mark juergensmeyer, expert on religious violence, and former president of the american academy 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. Juergensmeyer is a powerful, skillful writer whose deeply empathic interviewing techniques allow readers to enter the minds of some of the late twentieth centurys most feared. God at war mark juergensmeyer oxford university press. Drawing from extensive personal interviews, mark juergensmeyer takes. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Mark juergensmeyer quotes author of terror in the mind of. May 12, 2017 juergensmeyer is a powerful, skillful writer whose deeply empathic interviewing techniques allow readers to enter the minds of some of the late twentieth centurys most feared religious terrorists.
Juergensmeyer explores the 1993 world trade center explosion, hamas suicide bombings, the tokyo subway nerve gas attack, and the killing of abortion clinic. The volume begins with an introduction to the globalization of religion by mark juergensmeyer, and is followed by individual essays on christianity, islam, judaism, hinduism, buddhism, and local religious societies. Article pdf available in american journal of sociology 1071. Seeing as juergensmeyer is an influential and wellregarded scholar, an. Margo kitts is professor of humanities and religious studies and coordinator of religious studies and eastwest classical studies at hawaii pacific university in honolulu. Behind this practical purpose in writing this book, however, is an attempt to understand the role that violence has always played in the religious imagination and how. Israeli jews who support the persecution of palestinians. Studies in religion and society juergensmeyer, mark on. 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.
Over the years he came to realize that war is the central image in the worldview of virtually every religious movement engaged in violent acts. As a comparative cultural study of religious terrorism, mark juergensmeyer attempts to explain how and why religion and violence are linked. Muslims in the middle east associated with the rise of isis, al qaeda, and hamas. Mark juergensmeyer is professor of sociology and director of global and international studies at the university of california, santa barbara. Mark juergensmeyer is professor of sociology and global and international studies at the. In order to respond to religious terrorism in a way that is effective and does not produce more terrorism in response, i believe it is necessary to understand why such acts occur. The section on isis raises the same issue noted above regarding breivik and mcveigh.
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