Hinduism in the Modern World (Religions in the Modern World)

__Hinduism in the Modern World__ presents a new and unprecedented attempt to survey the nature, range, and significance of modern and contemporary Hinduism in South Asia and the global diaspora. Organized to reflect the direction of recent scholarly research, this volume breaks with earlier texts on this subject by seeking to overcome a misleading dichotomy between an elite, intellectualist "modern" Hinduism and the rest of what has so often been misleadingly termed "traditional" or "popular" Hinduism. Without neglecting the significance of modern reformist visions of Hinduism, this book reconceptualizes the meaning of "modern Hinduism" both by expanding its content and by situating its expression within a larger framework of history, ethnography, and contemporary critical theory. This volume equips undergraduate readers with the tools necessary to appreciate the richness and diversity of Hinduism as it has developed during the past two centuries. "Hinduism in the Modern World presents a new and unprecedented attempt to survey the nature, range, and significance of modern and contemporary Hinduism in South Asia and the global diaspora. Organized to reflect the direction of recent scholarly research, this volume breaks with earlier texts on this subject by seeking to overcome a misleading dichotomy between an elite, intellectualist "modern" Hinduism and the rest of what has so often been misleadingly termed "traditional" or "popular" Hinduism. Without neglecting the significance of modern reformist visions of Hinduism, this book reconceptualizes the meaning of "modern Hinduism" both by expanding its content and by situating its expression within a larger framework of history, ethnography, and contemporary critical theory. This volume equips undergraduate readers with the tools necessary to appreciate the richness and diversity of Hinduism as it has developed during the past two centuries."--Publisher's description Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents List of Maps and Images Acknowledgments Notes on Contributors Introduction PART I Hinduism Today: Three Perspectives 1 Hinduism in South India 2 Hinduism in North India 3 Transnational Movements PART II The Colonial Backdrop 4 Debates within Colonial Hinduism 5 Colonial Devotional Paths 6 Hinduism and Colonial Law PART III Movements and Relocations 7 Hinduism in Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, and Trinidad 8 Hinduism in Britain 9 Hinduism in the United States PART IV Networks of Meaning 10 Modern Monks and Global Hinduism 11 Modern Yoga and Tantra 12 Renunciation and Domesticity 13 Vedic Sacrifice in Modern India 14 Visual and Media Culture PART V Critical Social and Political Issues 15 Public Hinduism and Hindutva 16 Caste and Untouchability 17 Gender and Sexuality 18 Hinduism and Environmentalism in Modern India Conclusion Glossary Index