Everyday Communalism not only attempts to explore the anatomy of a Hindu-Muslim riot and its aftermath, but also examines the inner workings that enable deep-seated polarization between communities. Pai and Kumar show that frequent, low-intensity communal clashes pegged on routine everyday issues and resources help establish a permanent anti-Muslim prejudice among Hindus legitimizing majoritarian rule in the eyes of an increasingly polarized, intolerant, and entitledmajority community of Hindus. Uttar Pradesh's rising cultural aspirations; economic anxieties to move away from its traditionally backward status; a deep caste-marked agrarian crisis; and sharp inequalities and acute poverty further play into the making a new post-Ayodhya phase of Hindutvapolitics.

• List of Figures and Tables


• Preface


• List of Abbreviations
  


• Introduction: Everyday Communalism in Uttar Pradesh
  


• 1. Communal Politics in Uttar Pradesh from Independence to the 1990s: A Background
  


• Part I Eastern Uttar Pradesh: Culture, Political Economy, and the New Discourse of Everyday Communalism
  


• 2. Politics, Culture, and the Political Economy of Everyday Communalism in Eastern UP


• 3. Communal Mobilization and Riots in Eastern Uttar Pradesh: Mau and Gorakhpur Districts
  


• Part II Western Uttar Pradesh: Political Economy of Agrarian Crisis and the Construction of Everyday Communalism
  


• 4. Agrarian Crisis, Changing Jat-Muslim Relations, and Everyday Communalism in Western UP


• 5. Communal Mobilization and Riots in Western Uttar Pradesh: Muzaffarnagar and Shamli Districts
  


• Conclusion
  


• Epilogue


• Glossary


• Bibliography


• Index


• About the Authors

Sudha Pai was professor at the Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, and rector (pro vice-chancellor) at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. Sajjan Kumar is an independent researcher based in New Delhi, India.