Hindu Nationalism, History and Identity in India

In 2002, a reorganization of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) under Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule occurred, and four new history textbooks were published. This study examines these textbooks as integral to BJP¿s identity political agenda. It analyses the ways in which they defined and invoked Hindu identity. Employing the concept of decontextualization, the author argues that notions of Hindu cultural similarity were produced, in particular as the textbook paid scarce attention to social, geographical and temporal contexts in their approaches to Indian history.