Hindu, Muslim, & the Dynamics of Identity in South Asia - (Critical Perspectives in South Asian History) by Peter Gottschalk (Hardcover)

About the Book

This volume highlights the historical complexities bound up in Hindu-Muslim relations in South Asia and challenges.

Book Synopsis

For centuries, many South Asians and Westerners have assumed that an inherent tension between Hindus and Muslims represents a social fact that has long defined the Subcontinent's history. This volume brings together a wealth of contributions that demonstrate how, for many individuals and groups, 'Hindu' and 'Muslim' are, and always have been, more than predetermined markers of religion. Rather, these terms represent sets of contested identities, belongings, communities, ethnicities, histories, regions, neighbourhoods and politics, as well as diverse artistic, literary and music traditions. Arguing that 'religion' does not adequately account for these terms, contributors also recognise that despite this diversity, notions of 'Hindu' and 'Muslim' have long acted as a shared orientation marker of identity and belonging.

Challenging the imaginary of a divided South Asia and historicizing supposed Hindu-Muslim binaries, this book provides a crucial springboard for a broader understanding of these identities as intertwined, interdependent and even co-constructed, making distinction sometimes impossible to discern. Each chapter explores specific case studies of interactions, divergences and convergences between 'Hindu' and 'Muslim' from the eighth century to today, to understand how they have evolved over more than a millennium, and actively reflects upon the theoretical and methodological challenges and constructive approaches necessary to ongoing debates about the complex historical relationship between 'Hindus' and 'Muslims'.

Review Quotes

Hindu, Muslimis a welcome contribution to a growing body of literature on religious and social identities in South Asia. In prioritizing depth over breadth, the volume offers a robust, refreshing set of viewpoints that add layers of complexity to a subject of interest to all South Asianists.
Audrey Truschke, Professor, Rutgers University-Newark, USA

Ranging from the earliest Arab writings on Indian culture to today's "love jihad"-- with chapters embracing politics, musicology, memory studies, literary studies, art history, and much more -- this timely volume explores the myriad and complex ways that peoples of two great religious traditions have responded to each other.
Richard M. Eaton, Professor of History, University of Arizona, USA

About the Author

Peter Gottschalk is Professor of Religion and Professor of Global South Asian Studies at Wesleyan University, USA. His research focuses on the theoretical, historical and contemporary dimensions of Indian religious interactions. Among other books, he has published Religion, Science, and Empire: Classifying Hindus and Muslims in British India (2013) and Beyond Hindu and Muslim: Multiple Identity in Narratives from Village India (2000).