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Fundamentalisms in Asia Pacific: trends, impact, challenges and strategies asserting women's rights

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Fundamentalisms in this paper refers to monolithic approaches adopted by movements intheir quest for hegemony and political power, particularly through deployment of cultural,religious, ethnic and nationalist discourses. These movements are distinct from other movementsin that the power they seek is absolute and hegemonic in nature, in opposition to plurality, difference,debate or dissent. In the context of culture/ religious based fundamentalisms, power is inevitably andmost easily exercised by targeting women, through regulation of their bodies, roles, freedoms andrights. As the paper discusses, while women may the first and most easy targets, fundamentalistforces move on to target minorities and dissenters by demonizing and stigmatizing all difference,gradually leading to the erosion of democratic polity and respect for human rights. The concerns of culture/ religion/ ethnicity based fundamentalisms have been part of discussionswithin APWLD from the early 1990s. The earlier discussions within the network were primarily inrespect of culture and religion based fundamentalism, as well as its relationship with the State andpolitical power – combining context specific manifestations with commonalities across countries interms of trends, politics and impact on women. The context was one of religion based family laws, andin some cases religion based penal laws subordinating women’s rights; as well as the secondarystatus of minorities. Historically, the background was of a shared colonial heritage that eclipsedConstitutional rights in the private domain and politicization of religion by right wing political formations

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Availability

KP.1 000.261

KP.1 ADV f

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Available

Detail Information

Series Title

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Call Number

KP.1 MEH f

Publisher

Chiang Mia : Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)., 2008

Collation

40p. ; 22cm.

Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

9789741016624

Classification

KP.1

Content Type

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-

Edition

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Subject(s)

Fundamentalism

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