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What is so dangerous about nationalism in India? | Nationalism Reimagined

A special series from World Review on the challenges of nationalism.

Politicians around the world use nationalism. They use it to win elections, to stoke fear, and to hold on to power. Nationalism is exclusive, based on ethnicity or race or religion.

This series looks at nationalisms around the world, and whether there is another way. Can this politics be countered by building a civic, liberal nationalism?

In the third episode, Emily Tamkin examines nationalism in India. First, Ravinder Kaur, associate professor of modern South Asian studies at the University of Copenhagen and author of Brand New Nation: Capitalist Dreams and Nationalist Designs in Twenty-First Century India, talks about why nationalist politics have proven so effective in India, and how nationalism and capitalism in India are entwined. Then, Suchitra Vijayan, author of Midnight’s Borders: A People’s History of Modern India, explains what is lost in the country’s broader political narrative, and discusses where there are signs of resistance.

Read more:

Emily on the accelerating rise of a dangerous new nationalism in India.

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