Globalization, Transnationalism, Gender and Ecological Engagements

The chapters examine the discourse on globalisation and transnationalism especially their impact on areas like diaspora, ecology, yoga and spirituality. Scholars explore broadly fundamental and sustainable issues of civil rights, diaspora as a transnational phenomenon, challenges of class and gender in a globalising world, and the link between religious conflicts, morality and war. They deal with Pashupata sect tenets, commodification of spiritual practices of the East such as transcendental meditation practices, and the discourse of Indian gurus taking up examples of Ammachi, referred to as ‘The Mother’, of Kerala, and SriSri Ravi Shankar, and seeing whether they advocate a form of reverse orientalism. Referring to developments around the world and critiquing some of them, they deal with the influence of Gandhi on the American civil rights movement, the US ‘war on terror’, Indian-Australian cultural diplomacy, and biosystems management with reference to the Muslim and Hindu traditions in Bangladesh.