Europe Days at WUNU: a guest lecture by a British expert
As part of the educational platform ‘International Relations and Diplomacy: British Guest Lectures’, organised by the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, a lecture entitled ‘Religion, Power and Global India’ was held.
The event was organised as part of the Europe Days celebrations at WUNU, with the support of Uliana Koruts, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Research, and the university’s International Relations Office.
The special guest at the event was Dr Zara Martin – Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Course Leader for International Development (Undergraduates) at the University of Portsmouth, as well as Associate Editor of the journal Political Studies Review.
During the lecture, participants had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of contemporary political processes in India, in particular the rise of Hindutva as a political ideology and its influence on the formation of national identity. The speaker highlighted how religion, populism and power interact in the transformation of the state’s political and social landscape.
Using Ayodhya as a key example, Dr Zara Martin demonstrated how historical narratives are used to shape the perception of India as a predominantly Hindu state, which influences political processes, legislation and public life. The lecturer paid particular attention to the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in promoting the Hindutva ideology and the challenges these processes pose to India’s secular constitutional model.
The meeting also addressed the implications of domestic political changes for India’s foreign policy and the current global order.
The lecture generated considerable interest among students and lecturers, served as a platform for lively discussion, and contributed to a broader understanding of global political processes in today’s world.
Viktoriia Pohonchuk, a second-year student of the International Relations programme, shared her thoughts on the lecture:
‘Although the subject of India and its political system is quite complex and multifaceted, Ms Zara managed to explain everything in a very accessible and engaging way. It was particularly valuable to hear from such a high-calibre expert, who works in the UK and is the editor of a well-known academic journal. Meetings like this give us wider insight into international relations and a better understanding of global processes.”
Such international academic meetings for students of the International Relations programme help to foster intercultural dialogue, strengthen academic cooperation and develop a global professional outlook.
