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Exploring the effects of globalization in India and the problem of identity formation, this book contributes to the theoretical and empirical debate on identity, globalization, religious nationalism and (in)security. The author puts forward a new approach based on political psychology, to interpret identity construction, which is seen as an individualized process where interactions of the global and the local are intimately implicated. Thereby, this book presents a psychological analysis of how increased insecurity affects individuals’ and groups’ attachments to religious nationalism in an era of globalization. Developing an interesting angle on a recognized issue of concern in the politics of South Asia, and much more broadly in the context of the contemporary world and developing global politics, this is a valuable addition to normative critical social theory and the debate on identity and culture in political science and international relations, appealing to an inter-disciplinary audience
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Globalization and Religious Nationalism in India
This book explores the relationship between globalization, security and religious nationalism in India. It argues that globalization has made individuals and groups more ontologically insecure and existentially uncertain – an uncertainty many people try to reduce by searching for new secure self-identities. In this war of emotions, paramount figures are seeking to rally people around simple, rather than complex, causes. Religion and nationalism are two such causes that are more likely than other identity constructions to provide answers to those in need, due to their ability to convey a picture of security, inclusion, stability and simple answers. The book puts forward a new approach to interpret identity construction, which is seen as an individualized process, where interactions of the global and the local are intimately implicated. Thereby, a psychological analysis of how increased insecurity affects individuals’ and groups’ attachments to religious nationalism in an era of globalization is presented. The author compares the differing experiences of Sikh and Hindu nationalism, explaining why Hindus have been much more successful in fusing nationalist and religious concerns in their attempts to provide secure self-identities. Developing an innovative angle on a significant issue of concern in the politics of South Asia, and much more broadly in the context of the contemporary world and developing global politics, this book is a valuable addition to normative critical social theory and the debate on identity and culture in political science and international relations, appealing to an inter-disciplinary audience. Catarina Kinnvall is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science, Lund University, Sweden. Her research interests include international relations theory and political psychology, focusing on globalization and religious nationalism in Asia. Her recent publications include Globalization and Democratization in Asia: The Construction of Identity (with Kristina Jönsson, ed).
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