Publisher's Synopsis
Much of our public discourse on religion involves a subtle, but incredibly powerful, distinction between 'good' and 'bad' religion. The implications of these labelling practices are far-reaching, indeed, for such judgments manifest in terms such as 'fundamentalist,' 'radical,' and 'extremist,' words that are often the gauge by which governments worldwide determine everything from the parameters of religious freedom, to what constitutes an act of terrorism, to whether certain groups receive legal protections. Conversely, it is often surprising to see how different groups that may otherwise better typify the extremist profile remain unscathed by punitive governmental or social measures because of their pre-existing social popularity or perceived normalcy. This volume argues that public inquiry into religion is guided by unspoken value judgments.
