Interrogating Communalism: Violence, Citizenship and Minorities in South India (Religion and Citizenship)

"This book examines conflict and violence among religious minorities and the implication on the idea of citizenship in contemporary India. Going beyond the usual Hindu-Muslim question, it situates communalism in the context of conflicts between Muslims and Christians. By tracing the long history of conflict between the Marakkayar Muslims and Mukkuvar Christians in South India, it explores the notion of 'mobilization of religious identity' within the discourse on communal violence in South Asia as also discusses the spatial dynamics in violent conflicts. Including rich empirical evidence from historical and ethnographic material, the author shows how the contours of violence among minorities position Muslims as more vulnerable subjects of violent conflicts. The book will be useful to scholars and researchers of politics, political sociology, sociology and social anthropology, minority studies and South Asian studies. It will also interest those working on peace and conflict, violence, ethnicity and identity as also activists and policymakers concerned with the problems of fishing communities." Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Dedication Contents List of figures and tables Glossary Series editor’s preface Acknowledgements 1 Introduction: conflict without mobilisation? 2 State reportage, riot discourse and violence among minorities 3 Contested space, reified identities and formation of ethnic enclaves 4 Structural and spectacle violence: the rise of Christians and decline of Muslims as a fishing community 5 From enclave to ghetto: violence and identity predicaments of Marakkayar Muslims 6 Beyond the frame of communal: spatiality, violence and Muslim marginality Bibliography Index This book examines conflict and violence among religious minorities and the implication on the idea of citizenship in contemporary India. It situates communalism in the context of a long history of conflicts between Marakkayar Muslims and Mukkuvar Christians in South India.