The reaction to Barack Obama's Nobel Prize among Indian bloggers confirms something peculiar about the strange relationship of Indians to American politics. The jokes about Obama's award circulating in the Indian blogosphere reflect an Indian tendency to deeply identify with American Republican perspectives-- these satirical pieces and jokes are picked up from many American conservative websites and blogs.
While living in India, or while conversing with Indians during visits or email lists, I also noticed a kind of rage-- and that is not too strong a word-- against American policies of affirmative action, initiatives for gay rights, pro-diversity policies, and the like. Ironically, many of these Indians also benefit from these very policies.
I suspect this has much to do with Indian middle class myths about 'meritocracy', and utopian expectations among the middle classes from free market ideologies. In part, it may be a project of the anger of the Indian middle classes about reservation policies in the Indian context.
It also has to do with a selective and skewed reading of Indian history, one which sees socialist, statist conspiracies stifling the magic of the market. Even a cursory examination of the decades preceding independence will make clear that there was a consensus across parties, industry, intellectuals, and others about the paradigm for development that India needed to adopt with independence.
I think this convergence or identification with the American Right points to the emergence of what may be understood as a Global Right, or a Right with a global consciousness.
Obama is not above critique, of course, but where was this critique when Kissinger was awarded the prize? What is Kissinger's contribution to world peace? War crimes?
Saturday, October 10, 2009
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7 comments:
Hi
while i buy the point that there are a lot who are right of centre who spew venom at Obama or indeed at Rahul G because of who they are - I must admit that tho' i like Obama and respect what he is trying to do - i thought it was premature :)
I am not sure what bloggers represent, particularly English bloggers, in the Indian context. On the last trips two trips to India, I was in Calcutta, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntur, and a few villages and none of the people I knew (mostly academics , old friends and relatives) was a blogger. I think that in blogs there are many conversations, sometimes small groups pushing some sort of agendas (academics for higher salaries, some caste, religion sort of groups, libertarian etc) but they did not reach the people I met.
I look at several blogs in Telugu. Earlier it used to be be difficult (for people like) to express ideas of about science, economics etc in Telugu. The blogs seem to have a made Telugu quite quickly more usable for various discourses.
Possibly English blogs on specific topics may be playing some role among specific groups like lawyers (Law and Other Things.) I looked for blogs about the history and development of education in India at various levels (primary to University to technical colleges) but so far I have not ben successful. Recently, I found an old book edited by Joseph Di Bona; it may give a start.
I am not sure what bloggers represent, particularly English bloggers, in the Indian context. On the last trips two trips to India, I was in Calcutta, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntur, and a few villages and none of the people I knew (mostly academics , old friends and relatives) was a blogger. I think that in blogs there are many conversations, sometimes small groups pushing some sort of agendas (academics for higher salaries, some caste, religion sort of groups, libertarian etc) but they did not reach the people I met.
I look at several blogs in Telugu. Earlier it used to be be difficult (for people like) to express ideas of about science, economics etc in Telugu. The blogs seem to have a made Telugu quite quickly more usable for various discourses.
Possibly English blogs on specific topics may be playing some role among specific groups like lawyers (Law and Other Things.) I looked for blogs about the history and development of education in India at various levels (primary to University to technical colleges) but so far I have not ben successful. Recently, I found an old book edited by Joseph Di Bona; it may give a start.
Dear Harini and Prof. Swarup
Many thanks for your response and comments! Harini, that is a fair point, and yes, that critique may be offered about Obama. My point is not that Obama cannot be criticized. People also have the right to express their views. I just find the inconsistency on the part of some -- though not all- Obama critics somewhat hypocritical. Where is this same ire or sarcastic humor, for instance, when right-wing politicians, or corporate honchos reap large financial rewards and symbolic honors. There is nary a squeak from them.
Does it have something to do with resentment of Obama's achievements and rise to prominence (not just the Nobel) at such a young age?
Prof. Swarup, these are excellent points. Yes, I agree that the influence of the English blogosphere is severely limited-- and maybe that's not a bad thing! There is value to blogging, sure, but the exaggerated claims made about the internet in general, or blogs in particular, being harbingers of democracy, representing alternate voices need to be deflated and seen for what they are-- much hype, some genuine opening up of possibilities, much potential (the realization of which, however, is contingent on other factors).
I also find that, for all their advocacy of a new political consciousness, English-language bloggers have no awareness that they are *also promoting their own interests as a group or class*-- much like other groups in India. The only difference being that, like Indian elites, this English-language blogging world defines its own interests as universal-- i.e., the interest of all Indians. This is a myth of course
Is an untrammeled free-market ideology really in the interest of all Indians? How do we know? Is adopting a hawkish stance toward Pakistan a guarantee of greater security? For all Indians? Again, how do we know?
I did not know about the impact of Telegu blogs on the changes in the language in general. This is fascinating and deserving of detailed research.
I had seen an interesting blog on the education system in India, called Prayatna I have not gone through it in great detail but several posts have been very instructive and helpful. It is at
http://prayatna.typepad.com/education/
Best regards
Rohit
I find it hard to believe that you should characterize the current sentiment against Obama's Peace Prize by Indian bloggers as a manifestation of some Rightist sentiments. From there to go on to Global Right (caps in the blog post) is a stretch.
This reminds me of Indian establishemnt historians dubbing anybody who would talk of temple destruction in medieval India as a Communalist and a Sanghi.
There's such a thing as truth. Both (Indian) historians and anti historians seem to consider it rather dispensable in their pursuit of name calling. This is indeed regrettable.
"L N Srinivasakrishnan said...
"There's such a thing as truth"
And there's also such a thing as ideology that masquerades as truth. And that indeed is also "regrettable."
I'm not a shadow boxer. It's hard for me to reply to 'Anonymous' comments.
Anyway, does 'Anonymous' want to deny that there was destruction of temples by Muslims in India? Does 'Anonymous' also want to deny that our school textbooks in India passed this over in silence for quite a while. I'm not an undergraduate - I'm 50+.
Where's the ideology in this? I'm really puzzled.
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