Fundamentalism, Sectarianism, and Revolution: The Jacobin Dimension of Modernity

Cambridge Cultural Social Studies

by S.N. Eisenstadt

This book is a major comparative analysis of fundamentalist movements in historical and cultural context, spanning revolutionary France, America and Japan, with an emphasis on the contemporary scene. Leading sociologist S. N. Eisenstadt examines the protofundamentalist movements that arose in the great "axial civilizations" in premodern times in order to illuminate the meaning of the global rise of fundamentalism that is shown to be an important current in modernity. The central theme of the book is the distinctively Jacobin features of fundamentalist movements and their ambivalent attitude to tradition.

294 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Shmuel Noah Eisenstadt was a sociologist who taught at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and lectured at many other universities around the world. His writing focuses on modern civilizations and comparative cultures.