ASCL 51.02 Modern Hinduism
The names “Hinduism,” a religion, and “India,” a nation, come from the same word. What's at stake in mapping one onto the other? We will study the consolidation of Hindu traditions as a modern religion—how the “ism” got in the “Hinduism”—in historical context, examining the writings of thinkers like Gandhi, Radhakrishnan, and Vivekananda. One of the most compelling things about Hinduism’s global image is its association with nonviolence. But a major focus will be the development of Hindutva ideology, which recasts the religion in a militant, masculinized mode. Who speaks—within the academy and outside it—for Hinduism?
Cross Listed Courses
REL 19.06