Employers

(1) Understanding Hindutva: Resources for Employers

Hinduism is not Hindutva

The literal definition of Hindutva as “Hinduness” sometimes creates confusion about the relationship between the diverse set of religious practices that we call “Hinduism” today and the modern political movement called Hindutva. It is important that employers recognize that Hindutva’s origins lie in radically nationalist, harmful, and discriminatory ideologies (learn more here). Hindutva makes claims about Hindu identity, often narrowing and seeking to weaponize it. In that sense, the phenomenon of Hindutva is not structurally dissimilar to the ways in which white nationalism in America, for example, incorporates and deploys elements of Christian belief systems in its rhetoric. While the rise of majoritarian politics in India—and their support among some in the Indian diaspora—has increasingly normalized the otherwise “fringe” beliefs of Hindutva radicals, their ideas remain reprehensible and a grave threat to creating an environment for students and faculty—including those who identify as Hindu—to flourish on campus.

Those who espouse Hindutva ideology often attack Hindus. Some of the work being done from within Hindu communities in America to resist and counter the growing presence and force of Hindutva ideology include that of coalitions such as Sadhana, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, and Hindus for Human Rights. It is important for employers to support all individuals who find themselves targets of harassment from Hindutva groups, including those who identify as Hindu in the workplace.

Transnational Hindutva 

As Hindutva ideology traverses global territory, it carries with it a range of complex political, socio-economic, and religious issues, some of which are extremely significant for employers. The braiding of Hindutva and caste-based power, for example, is increasingly becoming an issue in the United States, as the 2016 report Caste in the United States demonstrated a few years ago. Recent controversies around representations of Hinduism in the media have provoked vociferous reactions by Hindutva-associated groups in the United States, for example, in the famous California textbook and Cisco cases. 

Hindutva and Academic Freedom

Over the past two decades or so, academic life and freedom have been impacted by people and groups who advocate Hindutva ideology. Faculty and student projects are increasingly surveilled and censored. These individuals and their professional futures are at risk as Hindutva perspectives on the study of India (and its religions and politics in particular) become normalized in the political and academic mainstream in India. Hindutva ideology has certainly made inroads within the North American academy, and its proponents continue to fund student groups and endow chairs. Please see the Academic Freedom to Study Sensitive Topics section of this website for more information and professional resources regarding why it is essential to create an environment for humanities education and scholarship to flourish. 

Hindutva organizations deploy terms such as “Hinduphobic” to malign scholars. They also draw parallels between anti-Semitic speech and speech or scholarship that is critical of Hindutva. They argue “discrimination” in order to pressure employers to side with their perspective as discrimination based on birth or ancestry, religious practices, etc is illegal in US. However these are bad-faith arguments. A critical examination of supremacist ideologies is not discrimination.

 (2) Tool Kit for Employers

Check Ins and Listening

Scholars in Religious Studies, South Asian Studies, and History Departments are particularly vulnerable targets for Hindutva harassment. Department Heads and Deans in these areas should perform regular “health checks” at both faculty and student meetings in order to allow scholars to voice concerns or raise issues related to harassment.

Sharing Concrete University Resources 

Department Heads and Deans should also be able to provide a list of resources (the HR office, the Office of the Ombuds, the Office of General Counsel, and others) to faculty and students who raise concerns about harassment at meetings or in private. Although services such as legal advice and psychological counseling are often outside the ambit of offices such as that of the Ombuds, Department Heads and Chairs should know where in their university faculty and students can access these resources. In other words, all academic chairs and administrative managers should have a clear sense of university policies and protocols related to both in-person and online harassment. These resources should be shared regularly with all faculty and students (see one example, faculty oriented, here); they should be iterated and circulated as frequently as possible. Junior and early career scholars should have support through the process of tenure and promotion if they are targeted by Hindutva organizations.

Assessment of Safety Risks

If a risk to physical safety is voiced by faculty or students who have been subjects of Hindutva harassment, Department Heads and Deans should immediately engage campus police. Departments should also not hesitate to arrange for campus security for visiting speakers who address controversial subjects related to religion, history, and politics in South Asia. 

Issuing Statements of Support

Departments and Schools may need to actively discuss issuing statements for support (both within the university and in public forums) for colleagues and students who have been targets of Hindutva harassment (e.g., see this template and other resources for addressing attacks). Such statements are a critical tool to defending the academic freedom and inclusive policies that are essential to creating a positive, healthy environment on campus. They are also a major way that employers can act as allies to specific faculty members and students who push back against the exclusionary politics of Hindutva.