The Future of Bangalore's Cosmopolitan Pasts: Civility and Difference in a Global City

Bangalore is known as India's future, but its success is challenged by its physical infrastructure. Andrew C. Willford's analysis shows that while the city has become a global hub, movements to make it more monocultural and monolinguistic have gained prominence. He focuses on the minority experience of the Tamil-speaking community, showing how globalization creates growth and prosperity but also fosters uncertainty and tension around religion and language. The past is a living resource for the negotiation of identity in the present, and Bangalore still retains a fabric of civility against the modern markings of cultural difference.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 28 February 2022
Publisher: University of Hawai'i Press

Bangalore, often hailed as India's future, is a city where global technologies converge with multinational capital to produce a cosmopolitan workforce and vibrant economic growth. In this narrative, the city's main challenge revolves around its success: whether its physical infrastructure can support its burgeoning population. Most observers assume that Bangalore's emergence as a global city represents its more complete integration into the world economy and, by extension, a more inclusive and cosmopolitan outlook among its growing middle class.

Andrew C. Willford sheds light on a growing paradox: even as Bangalore has come to signify progress and economic possibility both within India and to the outside world, movements to make the city more monocultural and monolinguistic have gained prominence. Bangalore is the capital of the state of Karnataka, its borders linguistically redrawn by the postcolonial Indian state in 1956. In the decades that followed, organizations and leaders emerged to promote linguistic nationalism aimed at protecting the fragile unity of Kannadiga culture and literature against the twin threats of globalization and internal migration. Ironically, they support parochial cultural policies that impose a cultural and linguistic unity upon an area that historically stood at the crossroads of empires, trade routes, language practices, devotional literatures, and pilgrimage routes. Willford's analysis, which focuses on the minority experience of Bangalores sizeable Tamil-speaking community, shows how the same forces of globalization that create growth and prosperity also foster uncertainty and tension around religion and language that completely contradict the region's long history of cosmopolitanism.

Exploring this paradox in Bangalore's entangled and complex history requires a nuanced understanding of the city's social, cultural, and political dynamics. One key aspect to consider is the role of education in shaping the city's identity and fostering cosmopolitanism. Bangalore has a reputation for being a hub of technological innovation and education, attracting students and professionals from all over the world. However, there are concerns that the city's educational institutions may be promoting a narrow vision of India and its culture, which could lead to a sense of cultural isolation and division.

Another factor contributing to the paradox is the city's rapid urbanization and development. As Bangalore attracts more investment and migration, there is a risk that the city's traditional cultural practices and languages may be marginalized or lost. This has led to calls for greater efforts to preserve and promote the city's cultural heritage, including through initiatives such as heritage walks, cultural festivals, and language classes.

In conclusion, Bangalore's emergence as a global city represents a significant milestone in India's development. However, the city faces challenges related to its success, including the need to ensure that its physical infrastructure can support its growing population and promote a more inclusive and cosmopolitan outlook among its residents. At the same time, there are movements to make the city more monocultural and monolinguistic, which raises concerns about the preservation of its cultural heritage and the potential for division and conflict. By addressing these challenges and promoting a broader vision of India and its culture, Bangalore can continue to thrive as a hub of innovation, education, and cultural exchange.

Weight: 410g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780824875589