Sociology: Themes and perspectives
the engagement between Muslim and Western countries. For Westerners the words "Islam', 'fundamentalism' and "terror" have become almost synonymous. Suicide bombers, hooded terrorists threatening kidnap victims, the oppression of women by the Taliban in Afghanistan and, of course, September 11 rare images that have become part of the landscape of t Western culture. Whereas initially the impact of the r rise of fundamentalist Islam was restricted to Muslim f countries, after September 11 it changed the world of o Western nations. The War on Terror has led to a b heightened awareness of risk and the acceptance of levels of control and surveillance that formerly would have been unthinkable. It also resulted in Australia joining forces with the United States and the United Kingdom to invade and occupy Iraq There have been many attempts to explain the current conflicts between the West and Islam, some of which stress economic and political factors, while others emphasise cultural factors.