Wages of Violence

When Bombay changed its name to Mumbai in 1995, it was the culmination of a long process that transformed Indias primary symbol of modernity and cultural diversity into a site of intense ethnic conflict and violent nationalism. Wages of Violence is a startling account of how the citys atmosphere, dominant public languages, and power structures have changed since the 1960s. The book centers on how Shiv Sena, a militant Hindu movement, has advanced a new, plebeian political culture and has undermined democratic rule in Indias premier city. Drawing on a large body of archival material and conversations with people from all walks of life, Thomas Blom Hansen paints a vivid picture of this dynamic and violent movement. Challenging conventional views of recent trends in Indian politics, Hansen shows that the xenophobic public culture of todays Mumbai has deep roots in the regions history and its contested identities. We are also given revealing insights into the citys Muslim communities and the authorities understanding and control of the ethno-religious subcultures in the city. Hansen argues cogently that Shiv Senas success represents the violent possibilities of the vernacularization of democracy in India. Unfolding at a juncture where the globalization of Indias economy is having a deepening impact on the lives of ordinary people, this is a story that resonates with the directions urban growth is taking both elsewhere in India and beyond.