Overview

Hindu nationalism is transforming India, as an increasingly dominant ideology and political force. But it is also a global phenomenon, with sections of India's vast diaspora drawn to, or actively supporting, right-wing Hindu nationalism. Indians overseas can be seen as an important, even inextricable, aspect of the movement. This is not a new dynamic diasporic Hindutva ('Hindu-ness') has grown over many decades. This book explores how and why the movement became popular among India's diaspora from the second half of the twentieth century. It shows that Hindutva ideology, and its plethora of organisations, have a distinctive resonance and way of operating overseas; the movement and its ideas perform significant, particular functions for diaspora communities. With a focus on Britain, Edward T.G. Anderson argues that transnational Hindutva cannot simply be viewed as an export: this phenomenon has evolved and been shaped into an important aspect of diasporic identity, a way for people to connect with their homeland. He also sheds light on the impact of conservative Indian politics on British multiculturalism, migrant politics and relations between various minoritised communities. To fully understand the Hindutva movement in India and identity politics in Britain, we must look at where the two come together.

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9781805260547

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Reviews

'This book is so extraordinary and important that it deserves a very wide readership. Its focus of Hindu nationalism in the diaspora, and the impact of the diaspora upon Hindutva in India, offers us an unrivalled perspective of the recent rise of a Hindu nationalism as a global project. It is crucial reading for those interested in Hindu nationalism's global footprint.' -- Joya Chatterji FBA, Professor of South Asian History, Trinity College, University of Cambridge, and author of 'Shadows At Noon: The South Asian Twentieth Century' 'A carefully researched, deep dive into the Hindutva in diaspora phenomenon. The focus of Anderson's excellent, historical-political work is Britain, but he tells a story that spans India, its diaspora, and globally networked nationalisms more broadly. This is a book for these times, and for times to come.' -- Nikita Sud, Professor of the Politics of Development, University of Oxford '[A] careful and illuminating study ... Drawing on detailed material from Britain, Anderson shows that Hindu nationalist activists are deeply involved in not only influencing Indian origin communities but also in influencing public opinion and electoral outcomes in the UK. A major contribution to our understanding of Hindu nationalism as a global project.' -- Thomas Blom Hansen, Reliance-Dhirubhai Ambani Professor, Stanford University

'This book is so extraordinary and important that it deserves a very wide readership. Its focus of Hindu nationalism in the diaspora, and the impact of the diaspora upon Hindutva in India, offers us an unrivalled perspective of the recent rise of a Hindu nationalism as a global project. It is crucial reading for those interested in Hindu nationalism's global footprint.' -- Joya Chatterji FBA, Professor of South Asian History, Trinity College, University of Cambridge, and author of 'Shadows At Noon: The South Asian Twentieth Century'

Author Information

Edward T.G. Anderson is Assistant Professor in History at Northumbria University, Newcastle. He was previously the Smuts Research Fellow in Commonwealth Studies at the University of Cambridge, where he also studied for a PhD in History.

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