About the Book
This collection of essays by established scholars covers some of the important aspects of society, polity and religion in India. The aspects covered in this book are important not only historically but also in the contemporary context. Whatever has been included in this volume will certainly provide a window to the world, providing a glimpse of the contemporary Indian scenario mainly in the context of politics and religion, their interplay and particularly the construction of varied identities based on religion and other social factors such as caste, community and gender.
Contents
1. Polity, Religion and Secularism in India: A Study of Interrelationships
C.N. Venugopal
2. The Politics of Religion and the Complex Spirituality of Religious Encounters and Co-Realizations: The Multiverse of Hindu Engagement with Christianity in India
Ananta Kumar Giri
3. Community Within Community: Politics of Exclusion in the Construction of Sikh Identity
Paramjit S. Judge
4. Religious Landscape, Low Caste Hindus and the Identity Politics: Configuration of Socio-religious Space for Weaker Sections in Jammu City, J&K (India)
Ashish Saxena and Vijaylaxmi Saxena
5. Buddhist Identity: A Case Study of Buddhist Women’s Narratives in Nagpur City
Ajay I. Choudhary
6. Social Dynamics in a Religious Milieu: The Sevayats of the Jagannath Temple at Puri
Ramanuj Ganguly
7. Sacred Rivers: Energy Resources and People’s Power
Susan Visvanathan
About the Author / Editor
Ishwar Modi, a pioneer of leisure studies in India, and a former Director, Centre for Leisure and Tourism Studies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, is presently the Director, India International Institute of Social Sciences. A former Visiting Professor, Indian Institute of Health Management Research (presently IIHMR University), and President of the Indian Sociological Society, is also an Executive Committee Member of the International Sociological Association and President of its Research Committee on Sociology of Leisure. He has authored, co-authored and edited several books and is also on the editorial board of several national and international journals.
