Review: Fascism in India, Race, Caste, and Hindutva
This article reviews Sebastian's book, which argues that Hindutva, the Hindu nationalism embraced by India's current leadership, constitutes a distinct form of fascism. Unlike European fascism, which focused on exterminating minorities, Hindutva aims to forcibly assimilate them into a homogenized Hindu community. The author posits that Hindutva is an indigenous ideology shaped by local history rather than a mere imitation of European models. The review highlights Sebastian's comparative analysis, noting that Nazi Germany utilized concepts of race and hierarchy functionally similar to India's caste system, thereby reframing caste as a broader fascist tool. However, the two ideologies remain fundamentally distinct due to the Nazis' emphasis on mass killings. Furthermore, the book traces the post-independence evolution of Hindutva, observing a shift from viewing Hinduism as an ethnicity to defining it primarily as a religion. Reviewed by Pratap Bhanu Mehta in Foreign Affairs, the piece provides a critical academic perspective on the ideological underpinnings of contemporary Indian politics and its parallels with historical fascist movements.
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Review: Fascism in India, Race, Caste, and Hindutva
This article reviews Sebastian's book, which argues that Hindutva, the Hindu nationalism embraced by India's current leadership, constitutes a distinct form of fascism. Unlike European fascism, which focused on exterminating minorities, Hindutva aims to forcibly assimilate them into a homogenized Hindu community. The author posits that Hindutva is an indigenous ideology shaped by local history rather than a mere imitation of European models. The review highlights Sebastian's comparative analysis, noting that Nazi Germany utilized concepts of race and hierarchy functionally similar to India's caste system, thereby reframing caste as a broader fascist tool. However, the two ideologies remain fundamentally distinct due to the Nazis' emphasis on mass killings. Furthermore, the book traces the post-independence evolution of Hindutva, observing a shift from viewing Hinduism as an ethnicity to defining it primarily as a religion. Reviewed by Pratap Bhanu Mehta in Foreign Affairs, the piece provides a critical academic perspective on the ideological underpinnings of contemporary Indian politics and its parallels with historical fascist movements.
foreignaffairs