Synopses & Reviews
One of the most dramatic and surprising developments of the last twenty years was the proliferation of aggressive political movements linked to religion. This book examines the interplay of religion and politics in predominantly Hindu India, Islamic Pakistan, and Buddhist Sri Lanka. This collection of studies by internationally known scholars challenges traditional stereotypes and interpretations of South Asian religion and politics and provides a multidisciplinary perspective on contemporary conflicts. While the focus of the work is on Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, the arguments advanced by the authors are useful for understanding recent developments in religion and politics around the world.
An informative introduction overviews the link between religion and political conflict in South Asia and offers a framework and synopsis of the chapters that follow. These are grouped into three parts by nationality. The chapters on India examine recent elections and the growth of militant Hinduism, the impact of caste relations on socio-economic conditions, and the problems of Muslims as the largest religious minority in India. The chapters on Pakistan explore how political and economic changes led to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism; the historical relationship among gender, nationalism, and the Islamic state; and the evolution of a capitalist social system in an Islamic nation. The chapters on Sri Lanka explain the role of Buddhist myth in justifying political oppression, the conflict between the ideal of Buddhist pacifism and the reality of political violence, and the impact of race, class, and gender on political conflict. Political scientists, historians, and religion scholars will find this study a timely and valuable addition to their libraries.
Review
The resultant volume is a refreshing, thought provoking analysis of the religious-political situation in South Asia, and an important critique of the standard, often assumed, interpretations. It is an important contribution to the religious, political and social scientific literature about that region. The editor is to be congratulated for successfully completing a coherent volume with so many contributors from so many cultures and situations. It is no mean achievement.The Christian Librarian
Review
These essays cover a lot of ground and are essential reading for an understanding of the major factors behind contemporary political conflict in South Asia.Journal of Third World Studies
Synopsis
This timely collection of studies offers a multidisciplinary perspective on the interplay between religion and politics in predominantly Hindu India, Islamic Pakistan, and Buddhist Sri Lanka.
Synopsis
One of the most surprising developments of the last 20 years has been the proliferation of aggressive political movements linked to religion. This timely collection of studies by internationally known scholars offers a multidisciplinary perspective on the interplay between religion and politics in predominantly Hindu India, Islamic Pakistan, and Buddhist Sri Lanka. The authors challenge traditional stereotypes and interpretations of South Asian religion and political conflict and give close attention to the impact of socio-economic conditions in defining religious culture and political action.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [205]-215) and index.