About the Talk
This talk reflects on the ways in which nationalism is conceptualised with reference to the case of India. Professor Wyatt argues that nations are subjective constructs manifested in stories and narratives. He specifies an ideological and ‘political’ interpretation of nationalism. This is linked to a discussion of official nationalism in India in which he argues that official nationalism is often presented in the form of invented traditions (Hobsbawm 1983). He elaborates on four facets of invented traditions that help clarify the term; namely: ritual and symbolism, repetition, normativity and links to the past. He briefly considers how these traditions have been re-invented since 2014, before reflecting on the significance of these changes.

About the Speaker:
Professor Andrew Wyatt’s research encompasses comparative politics, political economy, and South Asian politics/area studies, with a keen interest in political parties, leadership, and populism. In the realm of political economy, Prof. Wyatt has conducted research on how economic narratives mould national identities and underpin policy rationale. His focus extends to both national and regional politics in India. While analysing national politics, he delves into elections, democracy, and foreign policy, and his regional studies zoom in on Tamil Nadu, where he scrutinises issues including party dynamics, religion, and caste relations.