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shrey_sinh's review
4.0
The Battle of Belonging
In a global situation marked by isolationist tendencies, majoritarianism, ethnonationalism, virtual walls and restricted movements, the battle of belonging is quite real. The battles of belonging, in fact, started with proclivity towards right wing parties across the globe but the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these battles. Amidst such crises, Shashi Tharoor, a seasoned politician and ex-UN personnel, brings to the fore what belongingness means, what the facets of belongingness are and what led to the fact of belongingness turn into a battle with the case study of India per se.
In ‘The Battle of Belonging’, the author explains a gamut of terms related to the concepts of nationalism and patriotism. He explains what kinds of nationalisms exist across the world like linguistic nationalism, religious nationalism and ethnic nationalism along with a few examples of each category. The author also illustrates personal anecdotes and first-hand experiences of nationalisms of many types. The author further points out the differences between some commonly inter-changeable words like - patriotism, nationalism and jingoism. In contrast of all the different types of nationalisms that can be coined, the kind of nationalism in India is singular, the author argues. The author explains how India cannot be defined in narrow terms of mere nationalism but civic nationalism is a goal that founding fathers and the constitution makers of India had dreamt of.
In ancient history, the nationalism of India was quite different from the other contemporary nations; in medieval times, the nationalism evolved to a wider geography, and in modern times, the Indian nationalism still holds a spot at global platform different from other nations - be it France or Afghanistan. The author explains that Indian nationalism has always been marked with diversity, pluralism, tolerance and acceptance. Such attributes, along with civic nationalism and basic human rights, form the core of Indians. Denying this belongingness to someone on parochial grounds of religion, caste, creed or race is morally and constitutionally incorrect at multiple fronts.
The author, with broad consensus of liberal ideologists, underscores the fact that India does not demand uniformity; rather, it demands unity. Also, the criteria for belongingness should be defined by consensus and not by coerced conformity.
As rightly pointed out by Dr. Tharoor, it is the patriotic tendency that will bring to an end this battle of belonging and not the ethno-nationalism and it should be the goal of every patriot of this country to serve in bringing this crisis to an end.
In a global situation marked by isolationist tendencies, majoritarianism, ethnonationalism, virtual walls and restricted movements, the battle of belonging is quite real. The battles of belonging, in fact, started with proclivity towards right wing parties across the globe but the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these battles. Amidst such crises, Shashi Tharoor, a seasoned politician and ex-UN personnel, brings to the fore what belongingness means, what the facets of belongingness are and what led to the fact of belongingness turn into a battle with the case study of India per se.
In ‘The Battle of Belonging’, the author explains a gamut of terms related to the concepts of nationalism and patriotism. He explains what kinds of nationalisms exist across the world like linguistic nationalism, religious nationalism and ethnic nationalism along with a few examples of each category. The author also illustrates personal anecdotes and first-hand experiences of nationalisms of many types. The author further points out the differences between some commonly inter-changeable words like - patriotism, nationalism and jingoism. In contrast of all the different types of nationalisms that can be coined, the kind of nationalism in India is singular, the author argues. The author explains how India cannot be defined in narrow terms of mere nationalism but civic nationalism is a goal that founding fathers and the constitution makers of India had dreamt of.
In ancient history, the nationalism of India was quite different from the other contemporary nations; in medieval times, the nationalism evolved to a wider geography, and in modern times, the Indian nationalism still holds a spot at global platform different from other nations - be it France or Afghanistan. The author explains that Indian nationalism has always been marked with diversity, pluralism, tolerance and acceptance. Such attributes, along with civic nationalism and basic human rights, form the core of Indians. Denying this belongingness to someone on parochial grounds of religion, caste, creed or race is morally and constitutionally incorrect at multiple fronts.
The author, with broad consensus of liberal ideologists, underscores the fact that India does not demand uniformity; rather, it demands unity. Also, the criteria for belongingness should be defined by consensus and not by coerced conformity.
As rightly pointed out by Dr. Tharoor, it is the patriotic tendency that will bring to an end this battle of belonging and not the ethno-nationalism and it should be the goal of every patriot of this country to serve in bringing this crisis to an end.
reethu_ravi's review
3.0
Given how the nationalism and "Indianness" of India's citizens are being questioned almost every day, Shashi Tharoor's latest release, The Battle of Belonging: On Nationalism, Patriotism and What it Means to be Indian, couldn't have come at a better time.
The book is divided into six sections and begins with an exploration of Tharoor's nationalism and how it came from a sense of belonging, and proceeds to the historical and contemporary ideas of nationalism, patriotism, liberalism, democracy, and humanism. He explains how many of these originated in the West in the eighteenth and nineteenth century and then spread globally.
Tharoor dwells into the 'idea of India', the country's liberal constitutionalism, and what leaders, including, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and B R Ambedkar envisioned. He contrasts this with the narrow-minded and divisive Hindutva ideologues propagated by its followers and many of those in power today.
Tharoor argues that while patriotism is about what is right, nationalism is about might. "Both involve love of country and a willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for it, but while the patriot is prepared to die for his homeland, the nationalist is prepared to kill for his state."
In the subsequent sections, Tharoor briefs about Hindutva and how it's different from Hinduism and how the proponents of Hindutva are advocating cultural nationalism as opposed to the civic nationalism enshrined in our constitution. Tharoor also details some of the prevalent issues in the country like the division between the northern and southern parts of the country, as well as some recent events that shook the country like the CAA protests and the abrogation of article 370.
Something that I love about Tharoor's writing is how he seamlessly blends in anecdotes from his life into the subjects he's addressing. As someone with the kind of experience he has, especially as a former under General-Secretary of the UN, these riveting anecdotes come from all over the world and involve people from all walks of life.
Find the full review here: https://reethuravi.wordpress.com/2021/01/27/book-review-the-battle-of-belonging-by-shashi-tharoor/
The book is divided into six sections and begins with an exploration of Tharoor's nationalism and how it came from a sense of belonging, and proceeds to the historical and contemporary ideas of nationalism, patriotism, liberalism, democracy, and humanism. He explains how many of these originated in the West in the eighteenth and nineteenth century and then spread globally.
Tharoor dwells into the 'idea of India', the country's liberal constitutionalism, and what leaders, including, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and B R Ambedkar envisioned. He contrasts this with the narrow-minded and divisive Hindutva ideologues propagated by its followers and many of those in power today.
Tharoor argues that while patriotism is about what is right, nationalism is about might. "Both involve love of country and a willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for it, but while the patriot is prepared to die for his homeland, the nationalist is prepared to kill for his state."
In the subsequent sections, Tharoor briefs about Hindutva and how it's different from Hinduism and how the proponents of Hindutva are advocating cultural nationalism as opposed to the civic nationalism enshrined in our constitution. Tharoor also details some of the prevalent issues in the country like the division between the northern and southern parts of the country, as well as some recent events that shook the country like the CAA protests and the abrogation of article 370.
Something that I love about Tharoor's writing is how he seamlessly blends in anecdotes from his life into the subjects he's addressing. As someone with the kind of experience he has, especially as a former under General-Secretary of the UN, these riveting anecdotes come from all over the world and involve people from all walks of life.
Find the full review here: https://reethuravi.wordpress.com/2021/01/27/book-review-the-battle-of-belonging-by-shashi-tharoor/
sreeraag_mohan's review
4.0
In its ambition and scope, The Battle of Belonging might be Shashi Tharoor's most ambitious work yet. Tharoor's erudition and literary prowess, a tour-de-force in itself, is at its brilliant display here, as he makes well-grounded arguments against and for the questions that have been raised in the book itself. Coming in at a time when what it means to be an Indian is frequently questioned and the chasm between the nationals and anti-nationals is deepening, The Battle of Belonging aims to provide answers to what it means to belong to this country, albeit from a constitutional standpoint.
By defining nationalism, tracing the history of the Hindutva project, identifying problems with the increasingly authoritarian government at the centre and providing solutions to bring back India to the path that was envisioned for it by its founding fathers and enshrined in its constitution, Tharoor aims to provide a blue-print of sorts for one to take the patriotic duty of being a nuisance seriously. However, Tharoor's words and solutions speak to a learned, educated subsection of Indian society - how you can convince someone to vote for the tenets of the constitution when they believe demonetisation was necessary is something that the opposition, and politicians like the author, are yet to figure out.
By defining nationalism, tracing the history of the Hindutva project, identifying problems with the increasingly authoritarian government at the centre and providing solutions to bring back India to the path that was envisioned for it by its founding fathers and enshrined in its constitution, Tharoor aims to provide a blue-print of sorts for one to take the patriotic duty of being a nuisance seriously. However, Tharoor's words and solutions speak to a learned, educated subsection of Indian society - how you can convince someone to vote for the tenets of the constitution when they believe demonetisation was necessary is something that the opposition, and politicians like the author, are yet to figure out.
aabha's review
3.0
“Nationalism is an infantile thing. It is the measles of mankind.”
- Albert Einstein
For anyone wondering what’s so measles about being intoxicatingly in love with your own country, Charles de Gaulle clarifies the difference between ‘Patriotism’ and ‘Nationalism.”
“Patriotism is when love for your country comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.”
- Charles de Gaulle
I did not love this book as much as I was hoping to, but I think that’s an entirely ‘me’ problem and nothing to do with its actual contents. So I went into this looking for an examination of why hindutva ideology has grown to its current proportions, possibly the cultural and economic forces that led to the proliferation of bigoted populist leaders. And the book does touch on that, in a general way, in the beginning. Here’s what I gleaned. Globalization was viewed as the pet project of the neoliberal elitists who made their fortunes bleeding the working class dry leading to a festering resentment of the middle classes against all “elitist values” such as cosmopolitanism, multiculturalism and secularism. They really did chuck the baby out with the bath water there in their quest for a simpler(pre globalization) world with its “simple answers.” And thus we arrive at the current slew of populist leaders seeming to be popping up everywhere.
Section two of the book talks about India’s founding fathers and their vision for India’s civic nationalism. One of these founding fathers, Ambedkar(Nehru and Patel are the other two) held a very grim view of the future of India’s constitutional democracy, believing Indians to come from undemocratic soil. He stated that a constitution was only as good as the people who work it. His dim view of India’s future seems to be coming true in our current political climate.
The next section deals with the birth and development of hindutva ideology, through the teachings of Savarkar and his successors, how they want a “Hindu Pakistan” and how insecure they are about allowing any other religion, specially Muslims, to operate and exist in what they see as a “Hindu Rashtra.” Dr Tharoor proves through several examples as well as through the work of several historians and scholars that there never was a Hindu-Muslim divide in the country until the British started emphasizing the differences between the two while tabulating and labeling aspects of Indian culture and then dividing the country along those fault lines. By buying into these divisions, advocates of hindutva are playing into old imperialist agendas. So much for rejecting western culture.
There is a lot of pages devoted to current Modi led governments moves to assert their insidious ideology through various legislation like the CAA and the NRC as well as the weakening of democracy under their their rule. There are a few chilling parallels to nazi Germany that were depressing to me that I skimmed over this section. Honestly, politics drains me.
Books of this type often end with a plea to the reader to raise his/her moral conscience or risk losing a vibrant, multicultural, multiethnic democracy. This part always pains me a bit because I always think, yeah right, that’s not going to work. Still, it’s a nice message to end with. People who are a part of these groups usually don’t have beliefs tethered in logic or truth. They want to believe because they want to belong to a community, even an angry and negative one. Conspiracy theorists don’t believe any less even when confronted with contrary facts, in fact they believe more. The modi cult needs more than alternative facts to wake up. These guys have drunk the kool aid.
What I was looking for was a book about the radicalization of the Indian middle class in north India. The Congress perhaps, is in slight denial about this, after all it is a bitter pill to swallow. Anyone has recommendations, please leave them down below. And do pick up the “battle of belonging” even if you disagree with its ideas. It’s definitely worth a read.
- Albert Einstein
For anyone wondering what’s so measles about being intoxicatingly in love with your own country, Charles de Gaulle clarifies the difference between ‘Patriotism’ and ‘Nationalism.”
“Patriotism is when love for your country comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.”
- Charles de Gaulle
I did not love this book as much as I was hoping to, but I think that’s an entirely ‘me’ problem and nothing to do with its actual contents. So I went into this looking for an examination of why hindutva ideology has grown to its current proportions, possibly the cultural and economic forces that led to the proliferation of bigoted populist leaders. And the book does touch on that, in a general way, in the beginning. Here’s what I gleaned. Globalization was viewed as the pet project of the neoliberal elitists who made their fortunes bleeding the working class dry leading to a festering resentment of the middle classes against all “elitist values” such as cosmopolitanism, multiculturalism and secularism. They really did chuck the baby out with the bath water there in their quest for a simpler(pre globalization) world with its “simple answers.” And thus we arrive at the current slew of populist leaders seeming to be popping up everywhere.
Section two of the book talks about India’s founding fathers and their vision for India’s civic nationalism. One of these founding fathers, Ambedkar(Nehru and Patel are the other two) held a very grim view of the future of India’s constitutional democracy, believing Indians to come from undemocratic soil. He stated that a constitution was only as good as the people who work it. His dim view of India’s future seems to be coming true in our current political climate.
The next section deals with the birth and development of hindutva ideology, through the teachings of Savarkar and his successors, how they want a “Hindu Pakistan” and how insecure they are about allowing any other religion, specially Muslims, to operate and exist in what they see as a “Hindu Rashtra.” Dr Tharoor proves through several examples as well as through the work of several historians and scholars that there never was a Hindu-Muslim divide in the country until the British started emphasizing the differences between the two while tabulating and labeling aspects of Indian culture and then dividing the country along those fault lines. By buying into these divisions, advocates of hindutva are playing into old imperialist agendas. So much for rejecting western culture.
There is a lot of pages devoted to current Modi led governments moves to assert their insidious ideology through various legislation like the CAA and the NRC as well as the weakening of democracy under their their rule. There are a few chilling parallels to nazi Germany that were depressing to me that I skimmed over this section. Honestly, politics drains me.
Books of this type often end with a plea to the reader to raise his/her moral conscience or risk losing a vibrant, multicultural, multiethnic democracy. This part always pains me a bit because I always think, yeah right, that’s not going to work. Still, it’s a nice message to end with. People who are a part of these groups usually don’t have beliefs tethered in logic or truth. They want to believe because they want to belong to a community, even an angry and negative one. Conspiracy theorists don’t believe any less even when confronted with contrary facts, in fact they believe more. The modi cult needs more than alternative facts to wake up. These guys have drunk the kool aid.
What I was looking for was a book about the radicalization of the Indian middle class in north India. The Congress perhaps, is in slight denial about this, after all it is a bitter pill to swallow. Anyone has recommendations, please leave them down below. And do pick up the “battle of belonging” even if you disagree with its ideas. It’s definitely worth a read.
_askthebookbug's review
4.0
"Patriots love their country not out of misplaced vanity but out of love, not just because of its attractiveness but in spite of its flaws"
'While the patriot is prepared to die for his homeland, the nationalist is prepared to kill for his state" - Shashi Tharoor.
Battle of Belonging comes at a time when democracies around the world are turning autocratic, and people share the distorted idea of nationalism & patriotism - each defined in their own pocket of conveniences. I couldn't have asked for a better timing to read this book, for I myself have been lost in the conundrum of who I am - at least politically and patriotically. The book questions, and sometimes answers, the very fabric of such puzzles.
Mr Tharoor's latest book can be divided in three parts: A sustained delineation of the evolution of nationalism in theory and practice , a diagnosis of the contemporary challenges in Indian nationalism, and Tharoor’s vision for a repurposing of nationalistic understanding that neutralize India’s present version of majoritarian nationalism. In each part, he draws parallels from history, views of notable men in the demesne (Thomas Hobbes, Tagore, Ernest Gellner, Benedict Anderson and many), throws simple yet surprising facts onto our faces. Thoroughly elucidating the likes of Yuval Noah Harari, Tharoor remarks that the idea of nationalism is fiction created by men for the development of society.
The book raises alarming questions about Hindutva, RSS and of course, the BJP with respect to how the idea of nationalism and being Indian is being imposed and sometimes marred in the minds of Indians. The book is also quite vocal about the Hindu - Muslim relationship and how history has been fabricated to suit the tastes of a singular political party. As I flipped the pages, I went through a myriad of feelings - I wondered where I stand in terms of being a patriot or a nationalist, and even felt proud to be Indian in the truest sense of being one. Some beautiful anecdotes brought out in the book with the flavour of "Tharoorism" would certainly make you laugh, think and even question the way the government is functioning.
While I expected the book to be an out an out lashing of the BJP, Mr Tharoor surprised me with his pragmatic views of the situation and offers a solution too. However, despite the gargantuan ambitiousness of the book, it lacks the punch which was found in his earlier book "The Era of Darkness". I have found an answer to why people in Tamil Nadu cheered the victory of Senator Kamala Harris, but I'm left wondering if there is an answer to the unquestionable crisis the present government has put our country into. I'm still at loss for the question of "What do we need now?". A better government? Or better citizens? Or worse, a better country?
'While the patriot is prepared to die for his homeland, the nationalist is prepared to kill for his state" - Shashi Tharoor.
Battle of Belonging comes at a time when democracies around the world are turning autocratic, and people share the distorted idea of nationalism & patriotism - each defined in their own pocket of conveniences. I couldn't have asked for a better timing to read this book, for I myself have been lost in the conundrum of who I am - at least politically and patriotically. The book questions, and sometimes answers, the very fabric of such puzzles.
Mr Tharoor's latest book can be divided in three parts: A sustained delineation of the evolution of nationalism in theory and practice , a diagnosis of the contemporary challenges in Indian nationalism, and Tharoor’s vision for a repurposing of nationalistic understanding that neutralize India’s present version of majoritarian nationalism. In each part, he draws parallels from history, views of notable men in the demesne (Thomas Hobbes, Tagore, Ernest Gellner, Benedict Anderson and many), throws simple yet surprising facts onto our faces. Thoroughly elucidating the likes of Yuval Noah Harari, Tharoor remarks that the idea of nationalism is fiction created by men for the development of society.
The book raises alarming questions about Hindutva, RSS and of course, the BJP with respect to how the idea of nationalism and being Indian is being imposed and sometimes marred in the minds of Indians. The book is also quite vocal about the Hindu - Muslim relationship and how history has been fabricated to suit the tastes of a singular political party. As I flipped the pages, I went through a myriad of feelings - I wondered where I stand in terms of being a patriot or a nationalist, and even felt proud to be Indian in the truest sense of being one. Some beautiful anecdotes brought out in the book with the flavour of "Tharoorism" would certainly make you laugh, think and even question the way the government is functioning.
While I expected the book to be an out an out lashing of the BJP, Mr Tharoor surprised me with his pragmatic views of the situation and offers a solution too. However, despite the gargantuan ambitiousness of the book, it lacks the punch which was found in his earlier book "The Era of Darkness". I have found an answer to why people in Tamil Nadu cheered the victory of Senator Kamala Harris, but I'm left wondering if there is an answer to the unquestionable crisis the present government has put our country into. I'm still at loss for the question of "What do we need now?". A better government? Or better citizens? Or worse, a better country?
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