Communalism, Caste and Hindu Nationalism
The Violence in Gujarat

An examination of the rise of Hindu nationalism in India.

Ornit Shani (Author)

9780521865135, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 12 July 2007

230 pages, 1 map
23.5 x 15.8 x 1.8 cm, 0.488 kg

'Among the many analyses of the violence, Ornit Shani's contribution is especially useful because she pays careful attention to ground realities.' Journal of Asian Studies

Belligerent Hindu nationalism, accompanied by recurring communal violence between Hindus and Muslims, has become a compelling force in Indian politics over the last two decades. Ornit Shani's book examines the rise of Hindu nationalism, asking why distinct groups of Hindus, deeply divided by caste, mobilised on the basis of unitary Hindu nationalism, and why the Hindu nationalist rhetoric about the threat of the impoverished Muslim minority was so persuasive to the Hindu majority. Using evidence from communal violence in Gujarat, Shani argues that the growth of communalism was not simply a result of Hindu-Muslim antagonisms, but was driven by intensifying tensions among Hindus, nurtured by changes in the relations between castes and associated state policies. These, in turn, were frequently displaced onto Muslims, thus enabling caste conflicts to develop and deepen communal rivalries. The book offers a challenge to previous scholarship on the rise of communalism, which will be welcomed by students and professionals.

Introduction
Part I. The Background: 1. Setting the scene
2. The politics and discourse of reservations and caste
Part II. The 1985 Ahmedabad Riots: The historical conjunction between caste and communalism
Outlining the riots - the plot
3. The official account
4. The 'living-text', or, the riots within the riot
Part III. The Making of Ethnohinduism: 5. The making of ethnohinduism: from the politics of redistribution to the politics of recognition
6. The role of violence in ethnic politics
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: Politics & government [JP]