Final answer:
Islamic Fundamentalism is a movement in the Islamic world that advocates for a strict adherence to Islamic teachings and often opposes western influences, including democratic reforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of Islamic Fundamentalism can be understood as a movement or a push within the Islamic world towards adhering strictly to Islamic teachings and rejecting influences considered non-Islamic or westernized.
This movement gains momentum from various historical, cultural, and political contexts. The rise of Islamic Fundamentalism has been influenced by several factors, including historical grievances, cultural exchanges, and political dynamics within the Muslim world.
Events such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the subsequent rise of the Taliban have had a significant impact on the promotion of fundamentalist ideologies.
Similarly, the U.S. intervention in Iraq in 2003 and the consequent emergence of the Islamic State exemplify how foreign interventions have sometimes led to the rise of militant groups with fundamentalist agendas.
Furthermore, Islamic Fundamentalism is often positioned in opposition to democratic reforms advocating for social freedoms, equality for women, and elected governments. While textbooks may focus on this phenomenon as solely religious, it also encompasses deep-seated economic and political resistance to forces like globalization and historical conflicts such as the Crusades.
The current rift within the Muslim realm between fundamentalists and moderates over the application of Sharia versus civil law based on democratic consensus continues to shape the discourse on the future of Islamic societies.