Een professor in sociale geschiedenis en culturele antropologie, wiens werk gekenmerkt wordt door een diepe betrokkenheid bij folklore, geschiedenis en culturele uitingen. Zijn poëzie, geprezen om zijn urgentie en vorm, duikt in thema's van identiteit en maatschappelijke transformatie. Hij past zijn uitgebreide academische expertise toe om politiek en sociale bewegingen te analyseren, met name in de context van Noord-India. Zijn geschriften kenmerken zich door een interdisciplinaire aanpak, die literaire creatie combineert met antropologisch onderzoek.
Kanshiram's journey from rural Punjab to becoming a prominent Dalit leader is explored in this biography. It highlights his early influences, including his connection with Ambedkarites in Pune, and details his pivotal role in founding BAMCEF and the Bahujan Samaj Party in 1984. The book emphasizes his significant contributions to the Dalit movement and his status as a revered icon alongside Ambedkar.
The book explores the transformation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) into a more technologically adept and socially inclusive organization, which has successfully engaged marginalized communities like Dalits and tribals. It highlights how the RSS's strategies of social work and appropriation of identity contribute to the political success of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India. Through extensive field research in Uttar Pradesh, the author reveals the complex dynamics of Hindutva and its impact on Indian democracy, challenging conventional perceptions of caste in electoral politics.
Exploring the impact of migration on popular culture, this book examines the identity-making processes of nearly 200 million Indians globally, spanning from colonial eras to the present. It delves into how cultural formations evolve in both homelands and destinations, highlighting the dynamic interplay between migration and cultural identity.