Men in the making of nations: understanding the nexus between nation, belonging, and complicit masculinity

Abstract

ABSTRACT The ideal of masculine Hinduism which is currently being employed within the Indian national rhetoric to sustain and build a modern Hindu Rashtra is a direct consequence of India’s tryst with British imperialism. Since it is men who, as real actors of nationalist movement defend their homeland and the honour of women, the current Indian right wing politics ensures that men continue to uphold the ideals of Hindu hegemonic masculinity defined by martial prowess, muscular strength, moral fortitude and a readiness to battle groups to strengthen the nation. However, while the hegemonic notions of Hindu masculinity are achieved by a small minority who become the public face of gender and sexual politics, the majority are those who reap benefits from such gendered arrangements by being complicit in the hegemonic project. This paper makes an attempt to study the complex interdependencies between hegemonic and complicit masculinities in nation building processes in India. The aim is to uncover how complicit masculinities are created to sustain Hindutva nationalism within the current Indian climate and whether there are alternative possibilities and codes of behaviour in which privileges of masculinity and power are confronted and exposed.