Trude G. Dahl

Religion and Politics Trude G. Dahl

Hindu nationalism became a powerful societal force in India during the 1990s. The political success of Hindu nationalism seemed to signal the importance of religion to Indian politics. As Hindu nationalism grew in popularity and strength it also became the object of scholarly interest. In the post-colonial era there has been a strong impetus to revise established knowledge of Indian religion and society. This book attempts to show how the revisionist tendencies of the post-colonial era were reflected in Western scholarship on Hindu nationalism in the 1990s. One scholarly work on Hindu nationalism from the period is being analysed. Viewing that work in light of broader scholarly discourses of the late 20th century, this book addresses topics like orientalism, essentialism, social constructionism, and modernity. The book brings about a discussion of scholarly trends prevalent in the late 20th century and the implications of these trends for the study of religion. The book should be of interest to scholars, students, and others who are engaged in studies of contemporary India or in studies of religion.