In Search of Lost Modernity: India and Hinduism in Contemporary Discourses

Due to the enduring influence of Western epistemology and the increasing prominence of Hindutva and neoliberalism, definitions of India and Hinduism remain central to public discourse among Indians and Hindus. Two conflicting ideological groups dominate the mainstream public sphere: Indian secularism and Hindutva . This article examines the national and religious constructs in the works of three secular writers (Amartya Sen, Gurcharan Das, and Shashi Tharoor) and a Hindutva one (Rajiv Malhotra). By resorting to Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this article argues that, despite mutual criticisms, both discourses frequently rely on positive stereotypes to construct their idealized Self while employing negative stereotypes to define their Others , which invariably tend to be comprised of Abrahamic religions and worldviews. This dynamic mirrors Orientalist stereotypes, albeit in a reversed manner: undesirable modern values are associated with a stereotyped West and Christianity, while desirable values are depicted and as having existed since pre-colonial times.