Hindu Civilization
Indology, Hindu self-perception, Indian nationhood and the politics of Hindutva
[This "svAbhinava Hindu Civilization" page has been visited 1049 times since 10 March 2007]
[Please read the Introductory notes to svAbhinava Friends all of which apply to these Outreach sites]
The problematic encounter between Westernizing modernity and Hindu civilization is—more than that of Christian missionary activity (continuing unabated in foreign-funded proselytizing), (institutional legacies of) colonial rule and administrative measures, increasing integration into a globalizing capitalist economy (with upper-caste Hindus having ended up the wealthiest immigrant community in the United States), hegemony of new disciplines (history, archaeology, linguistics, psychoanalysis, etc.) now being studied by Indians themselves, Hindu mobilization to defend their traditional values (with the global diaspora beginning to take a leading role)—primarily the challenge of translating between two diametrically opposed taxonomies of knowledge, conflicting ways of organizing the world around us. Given that the Indian state—through its electoral setup, education curriculum, economic policies, etc.—is the single largest determinant of the future of its religious constituencies, the overt and sometimes aggressive politicization of this 'civilizational' agenda in the form of 'Hindutva' was perhaps even more inevitable than is Christian fundamentalism in the United States today.
Some of these dialogues—often multilogues—have been compiled, edited and reformatted into digests that are enumerated as hyperlinks within the last (Dialogues) item under participant's name below. Contributors should feel free to modify their views in the light of the evolving discussions.
[Hindu Civilization Dialogues Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 1147 times since 10 March 2007]
[Alvaro Enterria's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 40 times since 10 March 2007]
[Antoine Soucé Pitchaya's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 33 times since 10 March 2007]
[Ashok Chowgule's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 326 times since 10 March 2007]
[Bharat Gupt's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 309 times since 10 March 2007]
[Carl Vadivelle Belle's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 44 times since 10 March 2007]
[Carlos Aramayo's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 42 times since 10 March 2007]
[Chitra Raman's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 29 times since 10 March 2007]
[Dileep Karanth's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 216 times since 31 March 2007]
[Gautam Sen's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 54 times since 10 March 2007]
[Ian Whicher's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 30 times since 10 March 2007]
Review of visit of 20 Indian writers to Paris (French) - 2002
Thus went the children of Zarathustra (French) (review - 2003)
Identity, multiculturalism, and laicism
[Jakob De Roover's Hindu Civilization profile has been visited 64 times since 10 March 2007]