Dr. Paritosh Kumar (Queen’s DEVS) delivered a public class lecture in LLCU 320: Fascism titled “Modi’s India: Hindu Right and the Politics of Exclusion,” examining the rise of the BJP through both historical and contemporary lenses. Situating Hindutva within longer trajectories of colonialism and decolonization, as well as neoliberal reforms and widening economic inequality, the talk explored how Hindu nationalism mobilizes a “wounded” and masculinized identity, often positioning religious minorities as outsiders to the nation. It also traced the transnational influences shaping these dynamics—from engagements with European fascist thought to the role of the culture industry—and considered how these forces have contributed to the normalization of exclusionary politics, the spread of vigilantism and sectarian tensions, and the reshaping of political and social life in India across multiple scales.
(photo by Jennifer Ruth Hosek)
(photo by Caitie Miles)