The Discourse on Islamic Fundamentalism in the Middle East and Southeast Asia: A Critical Perspective

This paper provides a critical perspective on the discourse produced about Islamic fundamentalism with reference to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. It surveys existing studies on Islamic fundamentalism and attempts to argue that many of the advocations promoted by the fundamentalists bear a strong similarity with traditional Orientalist discourse about Islam. It also attempts to tackle the problem from a global perspective, in which modernity and cross cultural interaction are crucial factors in understanding the phenomenon.