Secularism in India : Concept and Practice

ABOUT THE BOOK:- From Last three Decades secularism has been one of the major points of debate in India. With the rise of politics in the name of religion, the concept of secularism has come under heavy criticism. To denigrate this concept words like pseudo secular and sickular have been coined. A shadow of this debate got reflected on the pages of Indian Journal of secularism, some more material was especially solicited to complete the theme. The essays compiled in the volume take broad historical and contemporary issues to point out that democracy and secularism are not separable values; they are in-separable parts of the Indian Constitution and are the base of the values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. The essays aim to provide the summary of debate in Indian scenario and aim to generate the debate to preserve these values in Indian Context. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:- Uday Mehta is sociologist with broad interdisciplinary background. He received his SSA and Ph. D. from TISS and Mumbai University respectively. He has contributed to the field of sociology through many of his books, such as Agrarian Strategies in India, State Secularism and Religion: Western and Indian Experience (co-editor: Asghar Ali Engineer), and Modern God Men in India. His one of the most recent publication is Sectarianism Politics and Development. Ram Puniyani Former Professor IIT Mumbai. Is associated with various secular initiatives and has been part of various investigation reports on violation of human rights of minorities. Has been part of people's tribunals which investigated the violation of rights of minorities in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. Has written Communal Politics: Facts Versus Myths, Deconstructing Terrorist Violence, Edited: Religion, Power and Violence, Mumbai: Post 27/11. Recipient of Indira Gandhi National Integration Award, National Communal harmony Award, Mukundan C. Menon Award 2015). CONTENTS:- Acknowledgement 11 Editors 13 Foreword 17 Introduction 23 SECTION - A Overview 1. Indian Society and the Secular 39 • Definitions • Colonial Readings of Indian Religions • Historical Perspectives of Religions in India • Islam in India • The History of India in the Last Thousand Years • Caste and Conversion • The World of Today. 2. Secularism in India: Past and Future 65 • Introduction • Factors and Actors Affecting the Secularism • Role of Media • Role of Politics • BJP in Southern India • Conclusion • The Future of Secularism. 3. Secularism: Concept and Indian Scenario 81 • Introduction • Diverse Meanings • The Beginnings • Secularisation • Secularism-Western or Modern • Indian Context • Secularism in India • Freedom Movement and Secular Values • Secularism: Freedom Movement • Constituent Assembly: Indian Constitution • Indian State • Communalism • Indian Political Scene • Conclusion: Challenges to Secularism. SECTION - B Concept and Genesis 4. Secularism, Secularisation and Modernity: A Sociological Perspective of the Western Model 101 • Reformation • Martin Luther in Germany • Printing Press – Farreaching Impact • Engels on Medieval Church • The Plebian Heresy • Protestant Reformation in England • French Scenario • The New Forces • Bourgeois Declaration of 1789 • “Sansculottes” • Victory of Secular Forces • Secularisation and the Masses • Recent Studies on Popular Religious Revival • Gender as a Category of Historical Analysis • Religious Practices - Cultural and Political Clues • Persistence of Supernatural Belief: Pilgrimage Shrines • Feminisation of Religion • Radical Sects in England • Divisions among Non-conformists • Methodism. 5. Secularism and Secularisation Nation Building in a Multi-religious Society 145 • Secularism and Secularisation • Secular Ideologies • Other Secularism • Peoples’ Movement • Conclusion: Commitment to Liberation. 6. On the Roots of Secularism 169 SECTION - C Globalisation and Challenges to Secularism 7. Religion and Globalisation 179 • Religion under Globalisation • Globalisation – The Recent Phase • Rise of Globalist Ideology • Globalisation and the Rise of the Religious Fundamentalism Politicisation of Religion • Islamic Fundamentalism • Islam: Origin • The Rise of Political Islam • The Inability of Capitalism to Solve the Basic Problem • The Failure of the Left • New Evangelism • Buddhist Fundamentalism • Conclusion. 8. National Education versus Veil: Secularism and Islam in France 195 • Islam and Secularism in France: An Historical Legacy • The Two Steps of Secularisation • Islam and France : Birth of a Religion • The Muslim Community of France: Its Origins and Aspects • Renewal of the Debate About Secularism: The Islamic Foulards Case • The Case and the Institutions • The Intervention of Intelligentsia • Perspectives on Belief and the Future of Secularisation • The Islamic Foulards Case: An Endless Story • Prejudices and Secularist Injustice • Multiplicity of the Sacred and Intolerance • The Search for Universality and the Plurality of the Beliefs • Conclusion. SECTION - D Nehru and Practice of Indian Secularism 9. Pandit Nehru on Communalism and Nationalism in India 209 10. Nehruvian Secularism and the Minority Problem 221 • Nehruvian Secularism and the Minority Problem • Nehruvian Secularism Analysed. 11. Manava Dharma and Pt. Nehru’s Concept of Secularism 233 • Nehru’s Ideological Sources of Secularism • Nehru’s Two Concepts of Secularism • Nehru: Symbol of Secularism • Two Models of Secularism • Challenges to Secularism • Nehru’s Measures to Secularise India • Relevance of Nehru’s Concept of Secularism. 12. Secularising the Literary Space: Problems and Possibilities 243 • Secularism as Theory: Tyranny of Reason • Religion and Secularism: The Great Indian Experiment • The Sacred, The Secular and The Text. 13. Secularism Betrayed 259 SECTION - E Struggle for Secularism 14. The Struggle Against Communalism: Defining a Positive Alternative 277 • Introduction • Religion • Democracy • Secularism • Identity • Communities • Conclusion. 15. Towards Secular Society 297 • Platform for Secular Democracy. The Title 'Secularism in India : Concept and Practice written/authored/edited by Editors: - Uday Mehta, Ram Puniyani', published in the year 2017. The ISBN 9789351282303 is assigned to the Hardcover version of this title. This book has total of pp. 332 (Pages). The publisher of this title is Kalpaz Publications. This Book is in English. The subject of this book is Political Science. Size of the book is 14.34 x 22.59 cms Vol:-