Muslim Childhoods amidst Discourses on Nationalism in India A Critical Social Psychological Approach

Abstract

This thesis presents a critical, socio-psychological analysis of Muslim newlinechildhoods in India, a minimally researched area. It examines how the tension newlinebetween the competing discourses of nationalism, within a larger socio-political newlinecontext of othering , becomes apparent in the lives of children belonging to the newlineMuslim community, a marginalised religious minority group. From the existing newlineliterature, it was clear that despite being the most urbanised religious community, the newlinesocio-economic conditions of Muslims continue to be poorer than other minorities newlineliving in India. Problems of poverty, unemployment, poor access to education, newlinehealthcare, housing and being subject to various forms of violence including riots and newlinegenocides have been explained by pointing to certain unique aspects of newlinemarginalisation, which have not been found among other minorities (Basant, 2012; newlineGayer and Jaffrelot, 2012; Mander, 2019; Robinson, 2005, 2012). A nationwide study newlinereported that Muslims have been looked at with suspicion in public spaces due to a newlinedouble burden of being labelled as anti-national and as being appeased , they newlineexperience hostility and discrimination while trying to access housing, in schools and newlinejobs, they have been perceived as not interested in education, and they also fear being newlineattacked during times of communal tension in any part of the country (Ministry of newlineMinority Affairs, 2006). Alongside have been popular discourses that make an newlineassociation of violence with Islam madrasahs labelled as dens of terror , Muslim newlinemen stereotyped as aggressive/violent whereas Muslim women as suppressed/disadvantaged, and Mughal rulers marked as Muslim, and portrayed newlinenegatively in textbooks. newline