Passionate Politics

In May 2019, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi won the world’s largest election. This book brings together a stellar team of economists, political scientists, sociologists, historians and geographers to explain why Indians voted the way they did. ‘This volume is remarkable in its breadth of coverage and notable in its range of insights. It will advance our understanding in very significant ways.' Ashutosh Varshney, Sol Goldman Professor of International Studies and the Social Sciences, Brown University 'An engaging exploration of the passions and emotions that suffuse politics.' Niraja Gopal Jayal, Avantha Chair in King's India Institute, King's College London 'This is a valuable addition to our understanding of a time of tumultuous upheaval and change in India's political landscape.' Harsh Mander, author and human rights activist‘A stimulating analysis of citizenship and nationalism in contemporary India.' Faisal Devji, Professor of Indian History, University of Oxford ‘This volume will be of huge interest for anyone interested in passionate politics!' Mukulika Banerjee, Associate Professor of Anthropology, London School of Economics and Political ScienceIn May 2019, Narendra Modi led his Bharatiya Janata Party to a resounding victory in India’s genera election. Why did Indians vote so overwhelmingly for the BJP, despite economic hardship and social strife? This book explains the processes that shaped political passions in India during the spring and summer of 2019. It brings together a anthropologists, economists, geographers, historians, political scientists and sociologists to contextualise and explain Modi’s win. Together, the contributors compel us to take seriously the ‘structures of feeling’ in politics. In May 2019, Narendra Modi won the world’s largest election. Defying expectations, he led his Bharatiya Janata Party to a resounding victory, with the highest vote share for any party in thirty years, and was re-elected as India’s Prime Minister.What accounts for the scale of Modi’s win? Why, despite economic hardship and social strife, did Indians vote so overwhelmingly for him and the BJP? This book explains the economic, social and cultural processes that shaped political passions in India during the spring and summer of 2019. It takes an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together a stellar team of economists, political scientists, sociologists, historians and geographers to explain Modi’s win. Together, the contributors compel us to take seriously the ‘structures of feeling’ in politics.Love him or hate him, Modi secured for himself a decisive re-election as India’s Prime Minister. Passionate politics is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how that happened.