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In international relations, there are always trade-offs. If a head of state concentrates on foreign policy, domestic concerns are pushed aside. If a state’s economic policies are geared toward opening its doors to international trade and foreign investment, in-country workers, businesses and regulation standards may be threatened. Ultimately, international politics and economics are balancing acts between internal and external affairs, with potentially major consequences if weighed too heavily on either scale. In the past few years, President Obama has deposited all of his energy into rebuilding America’s role as a superpower, through diplomacy, multilateralism, and international trade agreements. By the same token, Obama’s leadership has fallen by the wayside in the domestic sphere, particularly concerning race relations and gun violence within our borders. Recent news coverage suggests Prime Minister Modi has weighed his authority similarly, with vigorous attention being paid to foreign affairs at the expense of economic development, job growth, public hygiene, and intensified religious intolerance. Modi has met with more heads of state than any former prime minister, has dealt with global trade negotiations, and has focused much attention on regional security measures and diplomacy, pivoting “West” and “East” in search of greater cooperation and profitable relationships. Critics, however, claim that “Mr. Modi cares more for the theatre of politics than the hard grind of passing laws or accomplishing reform through compromise” (“Lights, Camera, Inactions!”). Job growth has not improved this year, yet India is said to take China’s place by 2050 as the world’s fastest growing economy (Barry). This disconnect between India’s stance in the world, and how Indians view their stance within their country, is what I am interested in exploring this semester. Is there a direct correlation between a country’s domestic stability and their foreign policy? Is Modi leading India into greater prosperity by focusing on external relations at the expense of developing its domestic economy and social well-being?
After spending about 7 weeks in India, I've observed that the greatest tradeoff Modi and the BJP led government are facing is whether to focus on the development of India's economy and India as a powerhouse on the global stage, or to focus on the growing religious intolerance and violence ensuing within India's own borders. It's clear that the Modi administration wants nothing to do with the communal tension, and appears to actually be instigating, many argue, the violence. Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism, is growing and feels extremely alive due to policies and attitudes within Modi's administration. The intent of my own research is to gage, by interviewing intellectuals in Delhi, Varanasi and Chennai, the seriousness of this matter, and where they think Modi's administration and the BJP led order will end up. What are the social forces that allow this kind of nationalism and propaganda to take place and cause so much injustice and violence? Many articles suggest the anger and fear toward Modi's administration because he falters when it comes to the wishes and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, the idyllic leader of India's independence movement. Further, what kind of implications does this internal strife have for India's foreign policy and international peace and stability? This is ultimately the question in international relations, to consider the surrounding regions, states, and relations, for instance with Pakistan, what does the rise of Hindu nationalism and communal violence have to do with foreign policy? It turns out that the growing religious intolerance and religious violence, well, has massive implications for foreign policy... and that is what my finalized research will reveal.
Project Update I: Delhi
Sept. 23: Interviewed and had lunch with Neera Chandhoke, a foremost scholar and political scientist in Delhi, currently teaching at Jawaharlal Nehru University, and previously taught political philosophy at Delhi University for over 40 years
Oct 9: Visited the Dr. B R Ambedkar Manimandabam in Pondicherry, a memorial museum and archives dedicated to the father of India's constitution and the leader of Dalit Buddhist movement
Oct. 13: Phone call interview with Amitabh Bihar, executive director of the National Foundation of India (a leading development and philanthropic NGO in New Delhi), expert on governance, civil society and is the co-chair of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty in India, among leading various other NGO's and anti-poverty coalitions
Project Update II: Chennai
Oct 8: Selvara Raj, a Tamil man we met at a cow puja , discussed why he attends the puja every Sunday. Mentioned issues relating to politics and religion and the differences between north and south India.
Oct 14: Met with N. Sathiya Moorthy, the director of the Chennai chapter of the Observer Research Foundation (a leading public policy think-tank in Asia), in his home, discussing international relations and Indian politics
Oct 20: Dinner with Kathik and Nikhila, a female screenwriter, (friends of a friend), spoke about local and national politics and Modi
October: daily findings of news articles about beef lynching, Modi's response, tension with Pakistan, literary figures returning their awards in protest of religious intolerance, BJP politics and growing communal tensions
Part III: Varanasi
Haji Mukhtar, Head Weaver / Social Leader of Weavers in Banaras; November 27th, Mukhtar Residence in Madanpura, Varanasi
Sanghita, Ancient Indian Historian, Teacher at Nirman; November 5th, South Point School, Varanasi