Fanaticism: On the Uses of an Idea

Accusations of fanaticism have a long history, and Alberto Toscano's new book Fanaticism aims at considering some instances of this effective and therefore popular dismissal of religious and political positions. Built around the central claim that the idea of fanaticism almost always covers up an implicit opposition to the "politics of excess,'' Toscano goes through a number of indicative cases and shows the ideological tricks at work at the heart of most rejections of fanaticism. The book will be of interest to those engaged with the recent resurgence of research related to religious fanaticism and political totalitarianism.