Indian Philosophy, Indian Revolution: On Caste and Politics - Divya Dwivedi & Shaj Mohan

A groundbreaking, brave, and profoundly challenging intervention in modern political theory. Grounded meticulously in political science and the rigorous traditions of Continental philosophy, Indian Philosophy, Indian Revolution offers a transformative alternative to the misleading, spiritualized images of India through the lens of radical anti-caste political thought.

In this definitive collection of essays written between 2016 and 2023, acclaimed philosophers Divya Dwivedi and Shaj Mohan confront the alarming resurgence of upper-caste supremacism and its philosophical justification through the historical legacy of the "Aryan doctrine" and Hindu nationalism. The book serves as a vital, real-time chronicle of a turbulent era in which democratic institutions faced subversion and caste-based oppression spilled violently into public spaces—disproportionately impacting minorities, women, students, independent media, and lower castes across all religious boundaries. It provides a sharp, unyielding biography of contemporary authoritarianism.

Moving past conventional frameworks, the authors reject simplistic media binaries that reduce Indian politics merely to an opposition between "Hindu majoritarian nationalism" and "religious minorities," or between "fundamentalism" and "pluralism." Instead, they construct an entirely new, philosophically rigorous account of the Indian polity anchored in the lower-caste majority position. Dwivedi and Mohan confront the ultimate contradictions of modern India: What does revolution mean when the constitutional promise of equality is actively betrayed by a millennia-old systemic hierarchy? What is the true definition of politics when religion justifies descent-based enslavement and indignity? This monumental work argues that revolution in India has only one genuine meaning—the complete annihilation of caste—and that true citizenship can only be achieved when the people of the state entirely shed the structures of caste and racism.

Why This Authoritative Philosophical Treatise Belongs on Your Shelf:

• Rigorous Continental Framework: Blends deep political science with Continental philosophical traditions, offering an intellectual depth rarely seen in standard political commentary.

• Beyond the Binaries: Refuses surface-level political talking points to deliver a profound, structural analysis of power, descent-based discrimination, and statecraft from a lower-caste majority viewpoint.

• Academic Pedigree: Co-authored by pioneering thinkers from IIT Delhi and the co-founders of major global philosophical journals, ensuring top-tier academic and intellectual credibility.