Ideological Imputations of Deviance and Moral Literalism in Late Modernity

• In Event: Theoretical Perspectives in Critical Criminology

Abstract

The modern individual knows not to treat any normative doctrine in a literal manner. The only time that literal interpretation of norms is uncontroversial in a modern context is when entire ways of life appear vulnerable to social forces or under attack by public enemies. In which case, norms may be expressed in sanctimonious terms with less fear of contradiction than what might be normally expected. Fundamentalist ideologies may be understood in these terms, with literalism at the core. Of course the types of groups that are nowadays labeled fundamentalist tend to be religious groups that are expressly intolerant toward other groups. But secular groups can also be fundamentalist in the same sense. Inversely, fundamentalism does not have to be intolerant or hostile toward anybody. The following paper examines the nature of the relation between literalism, fundamentalism, anti-modern ideologies, and imputations of deviance in late modernity.

Author

• Louis Kontos, The Graduate Center, John Jay College / CUNY