Religious Division and Social Conflict: The Emergence of Hindu Nationalism in Rural India

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Religious Division and Social Conflict is an ethnographic account of the emergence of Hindu nationalism in a tribal (adivasi) community in Chhattisgarh, Central India. It is argued that the successful spread of Hindu nationalism in this area is due to the instrumentalist involvement of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a militant Hindu nationalist organization, in local affairs. While active engagement in civilizing strategies has enabled the RSS to legitimize its presence and endear itself to the local community, the book argues that participation in more aggressive strategies has enabled this organization to fuel and attach local tensions to a broader Hindu nationalist agenda. The book further argues that while the RSS is the active agent in this process, its specific impact in this area is a result of its opposition to the Church.

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Dr. Peggy Froerer is a Research Lecturer at the Department of Anthropology, Bruynel University, UK. She obtained her doctorate from the London School of Economics in 2002.