Subir Sinha, a Reader in the theory and politics of development at SOAS University, delves into the complexities of Hindutva and its transnational reach. He discusses how factors like economic liberalization and the rise of Islamophobia after 9/11 contributed to Hindu nationalism's growth in the US and UK. Sinha highlights the role of social media in spreading authoritarian populism, while also noting positive signs of resistance among marginalized communities. The conversation uncovers the intricate dynamics of vigilante politics and the implications for diaspora identities.
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Early Hindutva in the US
Subir Sinha recalls encountering the BJP's rising star, Narendra Modi, during his graduate student days in Chicago in the early 1990s.
This anecdote highlights the early stages of Hindutva's presence in the US, marked by fundraising efforts for the Ram Temple.
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Diaspora Demographics and Hindutva
The Indian diaspora's demographics vary across countries like the US and UK, influencing Hindutva's impact.
In the UK, a significant portion of Hindus, particularly Gujaratis from East Africa, don't identify as Hindutva supporters.
insights INSIGHT
Populism's Contradictory Nature
Contemporary populism uses electoral democracy to limit broader democratic possibilities.
This contradictory approach leverages democratic processes to justify authoritarian rule, as seen with Modi and Hindutva.
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Transnational Politics and British Multiculturalism
Edward Anderson
Cassette Culture
Popular Music and Technology in North India
Richard Manuel
Lori Allen and Ajantha Subramanian continue their second series on Violent Majorities. Their previous episode featured Peter Beinart on Zionism as long-distance ethnonationalism; here they speak with Subir Sinha, who teaches at SOAS University of London, comments on Indian and European media, and is a member of a commission of inquiry exploring the 2022 unrest between Hindus and Muslims in Leicester, UK.
The catalysts he identifies for the rise of Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) include the emergence of new middle classes after economic liberalization, the rise of Islamophobia after 9/11, the 2008 crisis in capitalism, and the spread of new communications technologies.
The trio discuss the growth of Hindutva in the US and UK since the 1990s and its further consolidation. Social media has been key to Modi’s brand of authoritarian populism, with simultaneous messaging across national borders producing a globally dispersed audience for Hindutva. Particularly useful to transnational political mobilizations has been the manufacture of wounded Hindu sentiments: a claim to victimhood that draws on the legitimizing language of religious minority rights in the US and UK.
They also note more hopeful signs: Dalit and other oppressed caste politics have begun to strengthen in the diaspora; the contradictions between lived Hinduism and Hindutva have become clearer; there are some demographic and structural barriers to Hindutva’s further growth in the UK and US.
Subir’s Recallable Book is Kunal Purohit’s H-Pop:The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars(Harper Collins India, 2023), which looks at the proliferation of Hindutva Pop, a genre of music that is made to go viral and whip up mob violence against religious minorities.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), or National Volunteer Corps, is the parent organization of the Sangh Parivar, or Hindu nationalist family of organizations. It espouses principles of Hindu unity and aims to transform India into a Hindu supremacist nation-state.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), or World Hindu Organization, is a branch of the Sangh Parivar. Its stated aims are to engage in social service work, construct Hindu temples, and defend Hindus.