Speaker: Prof. Dr. Peter van der Veer
Chair: Prof. Dr. Sahana Udupa (LMU)
This lecture examines the intriguing connection between Hindu nationalism and traditions of ascetic spirituality. From Swami Vivekananda to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ideals of bodily discipline and renunciation play a central role in shaping political leadership. Figures such as Yogi Adityanath, both monk and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, embody this fusion of spiritual authority and political power. Even leaders who are not monks, like Mahatma Gandhi, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Modi, display elements of asceticism that resonate deeply within Hindu political culture. Van der Veer explores how a tradition centered on withdrawing from social life has become integrated into nationalist activism, arguing that the “nationalization of renunciation” represents one of the most striking features of modern Hindu mysticism and its influence on India’s contemporary political imagination.
Peter van der Veer is Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity and Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at Utrecht University. He is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and has held visiting professorships at the University of Chicago, Zhejiang University, and Tokyo University. He is the author or editor of over ten books, including The Modern Spirit of Asia, The Value of Comparison, The Handbook of Religion and the Asian City, The Secular in South, East, and South-East Asia, and Refugees and Religion.
The event is part of the CAS Research Group “Below the Radar? Messaging Apps, Encryption and the Enticement of Extreme Speech”.
Registration
Registration is required for participation. If you are interested in our event, please contact us: info@cas.lmu.de.