A human rights perspective on religious fundamentalism

Abstract

Religious fundamentalism and human rights have always been locked in tension. This article investigates the complex relationship in three steps: First, the term fundamentalism and its different manifestations will be discussed from the position of international law and international relationships. Then follows an analysis of the threat religious fundamentalism poses for human rights and in particular for freedom of religion. Finally, light will be shed on the role human rights play in the face of fundamentalism. On the one hand, fundamentalism threatens human rights, but on the other hand, human rights need to be upheld in the response to fundamentalism. Taking ‘political Islam’ as an example, this article  examines the problematic consequences of widening the scope of what is understood as fundamentalism and how this affects the social inclusion of Muslims. The findings of this research also show that any measures to counter fundamentalism have to be aligned with human rights, otherwise they risk reinforcing fundamentalist ideas instead.