Hindu-Muslim Intergroup Relations in India: Applying Socio-Psychological Perspectives

Abstract

The present paper is an attempt to demonstrate the applicability of existing intergroup theoretical perspectives to the study of Hindu-Muslim intergroup relations in India. The paper is divided into three parts. The first part presents an overview of the cur rent theoretical approaches which have been adopted to explain intergroup relations and conflicts. In the second part, Hindu-Muslim relations are outlined in their histori cal, political and social contexts. The final part of the paper reviews socio-psychological researches done in India followed by a reference to the discontinuities between social realities of intergroup relations in the context of developing countries and 'individualistic' context free explanations of intergroup relations.