Hindu Dharma and the Culture Wars

‘Culture war’ is a term that
originated with the nineteenth-century German nation-builder Otto von
Bismarck, who initiated a struggle with the Church on control over education,
and called it ‘Kulturkampf’ (culture war). The same issue—minus the Church—is
a contentious one in India, with both the history curriculum and the
allotment of authority over education being much discussed. Other themes
partly overlap with and partly differ from those in the culture wars in the
US, where the term has gained currency to designate the debate between modern
and religious worldviews. Specific to India are the debates about the
definition of Hinduism and secularism, and the antagonisms within both. In a
country where religion is inextricably woven into the social fabric, and
multiple stratifications exist, ‘culture’ becomes a pervasive reality in
every sphere of life. In this context, culture wars assume a significance of
great consequence—both immediate and far reaching. In Hindu Dharma and the
Culture Wars, Koenraad Elst broaches a discussion on Hindu ideology, Hindutva
and the Indian national identity, hoping to take this uniquely national
conversation forward.