Tweet

Dr. Audrey Truschke

6 Nov, 10 tweets, 5 min read

"A raft of evidence shows that caste discrimination has been imported from India to the United States."

Covers the Cisco and BAPS temples cases from this year, along with surveys regarding #caste identity and caste-based #discrimination in the diaspora.

theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

Further resources for those who want to learn further about #caste in the United States --

On the Cisco court case (ongoing), in which the allegation is that a Dalit has been discriminated against by two upper caste supervisors: thewire.in/caste/cisco-ca…

On the BAPS temple situation (ongoing), in which a temple is alleged to have used Dalits for forced labor.

This is the most extensive alleged case of forced labor on US soil since the 1990s: nytimes.com/2021/05/11/nyr… #Dalit

Often caste is evidenced without being explicitly discussed. Two discussions of this, based on separate television shows:

Indian Matchmaking: theatlantic.com/culture/archiv…

Never Have I Ever: patheos.com/blogs/anxiousb…

Equality Labs is a US-based Civil Rights group (often, it should be noted, under heavy and malicious attack by Hindu Right groups that are dominated by upper castes).

Equality Labs 2016 survey on caste offers many insights: equalitylabs.org/castesurvey

On caste-identity in the US diaspora, as per an extensive survey by Carnegie Mellon last year: carnegieendowment.org/2021/06/09/soc…

Many people, from different places and walks of life, fight against caste.

We don't all agree, for sure. But just like you can be white and fight against anti-black racism, you can be upper caste and fight against casteism. Anyone who says otherwise is, well, probably casteist.

Some of the key casteist leaders in the US diaspora will surely cry foul about all of this (honestly, I'd be surprised if some haven't already).

So, let me preempt the common casteism argument, as the article summarizes: “the Brahmans are the ones who are really suffering.”

The bad-faith idea is that fighting oppression victimizes the oppressors.

White racists use this logic, arguing that calling out anti-black racism victimizes white people.

Similarly, casteist people argue that fighting against caste-based discrimination victimizes upper castes.

If you see people making these arguments, see it for what it is: bigotry.

Ask them and ask yourself: What have you done recently to fight caste-based discrimination and to promote equality for historically-oppressed groups? #caste #discrimination #Dalit #Equality

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More from @AudreyTruschke

Dr. Audrey Truschke

@AudreyTruschke

2 Nov

The arguments that the US-based Hindu Right is trotting out to defend casteism and to absurdly try to paint the discriminators as victims ... I've heard it all before. It is structurally very similar to white supremacist arguments. #Hindutva #caste #WhiteSupremacy

Both argue--in remarkably bad faith--that it is reverse racist to single out the aggressors (caste Hindus and white people, respectively).

They also try to paint the aggressors (racist on both sides) as the victims, for having their prejudice called out.

Both also engage in historical revisionism or denialism (e.g., denying the harsh realities of slavery and Jim Crow laws & the long history of caste).

When they do admit any part of this history, they downplay its effects, suggesting that racism / casteism are things of the past.

Read 6 tweets

Dr. Audrey Truschke

@AudreyTruschke

13 Oct

And there we have it, the Hindutva American Foundation defending the RSS, a paramilitary organization that advocates Hindu supremacy, attacks minorities, and repeatedly uses violence to achieve its aims.

A short #THREAD on the RSS

The RSS, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, is a paramilitary group founded in 1925.

What was going on in 1925? In India, independence movements, which the RSS largely sat out. The RSS had its eyes trained on Europe and imitated fascist movements, especially in Italy.

Hedgewar was the first head of the RSS. He called the group "Rashtriya", national, because he wanted to make Indian = Hindu. No room for religious minorities or other ways of being Indian. And it gets worse...

Read 13 tweets

Dr. Audrey Truschke

@AudreyTruschke

17 Sep

One of the true joys in teaching overview classes is that I get to hit some of the highlights of South Asian history every year. Next week is #Mahabharata week.

How do historians teach this epic? Well, it depends on our subject. Short #pedagogy thread --

Starting point -- I can't teach the entire epic. I wish I could. I think about it every year before I come to my senses, again.

So, I teach select portions. Always a bit of the Gita, and then I tend to change-up the other part. This year, I'm doing Draupadi's disrobing.

The Mahabharata is not a straightforward historical text. It is mythology. But it tells us about things we want to know in the Indian past. Here's where I divide up by class.

Read 6 tweets

Dr. Audrey Truschke

@AudreyTruschke

5 Sep

We are watching as right-wing Hindu American groups harass, intimidate, and endanger academics, including students.

What you're doing is beyond unacceptable. It is unethical, hate mongering, and very, very dangerous. Stop. Now. #Hindutva

Folks, if you are Hindu American and you think: "my goodness, that's not me! I like diversity. I value critical thought. Hindutva is not Hinduism." I hear you.

Know that right-wing groups are promoting intolerance and hate in your name. You have my condolences about that.

If you're wondering what a group who actually advocated on behalf of Hindu Americans would do right now, they would:

Reiterate the right to criticize political ideologies, including Hindutva.
Call for an end to threats and retaliations against all academics.

Read 5 tweets

Dr. Audrey Truschke

@AudreyTruschke

3 Sep

Periodic reminder —

There are US-based Hindutva proponents that are attacking and smearing scholars, conferences, and even students.

They do not represent Hindu Americans as a group. They’re using this broad-based, diverse community as a smokescreen to promote hate. #Hindutva

We see this, by the way, with other groups also. In the US context, Christian nationalists have done something similar, advocating extreme political views under the guise of religion.

(Oh, the irony of Hindu supremacists borrowing a playbook from a group they rail against).

Birds of a feather flock together.

Hindu supremacists are closest too, not most Hindus, but rather advocates of other supremacist ideologies. They overlap in tone and methods; in some cases, we know of alliances.

Hindutva’s bedfellows are terrifying.

Read 4 tweets

Dr. Audrey Truschke

@AudreyTruschke

19 Aug

The US Hindutva machine--part of the Global Right--has mobilized to target sponsors of the upcoming Dismantling Hindutva conference.

This is a #THREAD of resources--from the Hindu Right's current favorite academic to hate--for those who find themselves in #Hindutva crosshairs.

First of all, understand Hindutva, which is a hateful a political ideology. Some scholars describe it as authoritarian or populist; others as fascist.

We all agree that it is right-wing, trends towards violence, and is intolerant.

thewire.in/politics/chris…

Terms often used as rough synonyms -- Hindutva, Hindu nationalism, Hindu supremacy, Hindu Right.

Defining Hindutva: hindutvaharassmentfieldmanual.org/defininghindut…

Guide on Hindutva from a Hindu perspective: sadhana.org/hindutva-101

Read 11 tweets

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