The Violence of Recognition: Adivasi Indigeneity and Anti-Dalitness in India

The book "The Violence of Recognition" provides an in-depth account of the operations of Hindu nationalists and their role in sparking the largest incident of anti-Christian violence in India's history. It explores the roots of ethnonationalist conflict between the Kandha and Pana communities, documenting how Hindutva mobilization led to large-scale violence against the Pana Dalits in 2008. Pinky Hota's analysis shows that Kandha hostility against the Pana is anti-Christian, anti-Dalit violence animated by racial capitalism, and how Hindu nationalists exploit the legal recognition of Adivasis to justify the oppression of Dalits.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 28 November 2023
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

This groundbreaking book provides an unparalleled firsthand account of the operations of Hindu nationalists and their pivotal role in igniting the largest incident of anti-Christian violence in India's history. Through vivid ethnographic storytelling, Pinky Hota delves into the roots of ethnonationalist conflict between two historically marginalized groups: the Kandha, who are Adivasi (tribal people considered indigenous in India), and the Pana, a community of Christian Dalits (previously referred to as "untouchables"). Hota meticulously documents how Hindutva mobilization led to widespread violence, culminating in attacks against thousands of Pana Dalits in the district of Kandhamal in 2008. By integrating indigenous studies, race and ethnic studies, and Dalit studies, Hota demonstrates that the hostility exhibited by the Kandha towards the Pana must be understood as anti-Christian, anti-Dalit violence driven by racial capitalism.

Hota's analysis of caste in relation to race and religion reveals how Hindu nationalists exploit the singular and exclusive legal recognition of Adivasis and the purportedly liberatory, anti-capitalist discourse of indigeneity to justify the continued oppression of Dalits, particularly those like the Pana. Since the Pana lost their legal protection as recognized minorities (Scheduled Caste) upon conversion to Christianity, they struggle for recognition within the Indian states' classificatory scheme. Within the framework of recognition, Hota shows that indigeneity functions as a political technology that perpetuates the political, economic, and cultural exclusion of landless marginalized groups such as Dalits.

The Violence of Recognition is a powerful and essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complex dynamics of religion, race, and power in India. It sheds light on the ongoing struggles of marginalized communities and highlights the urgent need for social and political change.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781512824841