Religion und Politik in Südasien: zwischen Populismus, Modernisierung und Identitätsfindung in Zeiten der Globalisierung

About the lecture

South Asia also reflects global trends that are only recognised to a limited extent in Europe, although the geopolitical importance of the region continues to grow. Mohendra Modi has been in power in India since 2018, leading the BJP with a focus on Hindu nationalism, but at the same time on a radical modernisation of the country and mobilising with great emotion against minorities, especially the Muslim population. In Pakistan, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is now in prison as head of the PTI party and a former cricket star, has also backed the "State of Medina", the state model created by the Prophet Muhammad, which he in turn praised as a kind of modern welfare state. This electrified the young middle class in the cities in particular, but also radical Islamists. For him, the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban was the "end of slavery".

The lecture explores the question of how politicians in South Asia struggle to mobilise supporters and at the same time focus on modernisation and local identities.