Overview

Swami Vivekananda remains one of the most influential and contested figures in modern Indian history. Revered by some as a liberal reformer who challenged the caste system, and by others as a progenitor of Hindu nationalism, Vivekananda’s legacy straddles deep contradictions. Vivekananda on Culture and Inequality offers a critical examination of these tensions by focusing on his cultural philosophy and its implications for social hierarchy and national identity. This book explores how Vivekananda’s vision of culture—rooted in spiritual and philosophical ideals—both challenged and upheld systems of inequality. While he spoke of dignity for all and national unity, his cultural ideal placed Brahmanical Hinduism at the apex of a spiritual hierarchy, ultimately justifying social divisions rather than dismantling them. Through a close reading of his writings and speeches, the book argues that Vivekananda’s cultural nationalism subtly transformed inequality into a moral and spiritual necessity. By situating Vivekananda’s thought within contemporary debates on nationalism, social justice, and religious identity, this study sheds light on the enduring appeal of his ideas among large segments of the Hindu public. It also raises pressing questions about how culture is used to legitimize inequality in today’s world—making this book essential reading for scholars and students of religion, political theory, South Asian studies, and cultural history.  

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9783032045300

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Amod N. Damle is a clinical associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Boise State University. As an artist, designer, writer, and researcher, Damle’s work converges on exploring the association between culture and inequality. His research centers on the idea that although culture preserves both egalitarianism and inegalitarianism, forces of inequality tend to overpower those that foster equality. Damle examines how the fluid and asymmetric relationship between egalitarian and inegalitarian cultural influences shapes human collectives. Damle is the author of four books, including two novels—In the Middle and The Edible Goddess—and two research monographs—Culture of Inequality and The Politics of Soft Hindutva.

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