The election of Donald Trump in the US, vote for Brexit, and beef eating related lynchings' in India; the transnational specter of identity politics has made a comeback and is casting a long shadow on the liberal world order.
Francis Fukuyama's prediction of 'End of History' has been turned on its head. Far from history seeing its end, the past is being revised for the present and perfected for the future. Never before in the post-war order did the illiberal forces command such popularity; as a result, the broad social contract across nations, communities, and classes is being renegotiated.
In this issue, we try to understand and analyze the repercussions of the reappearance of this specter. We start with discussing a Muslim woman's place in the veil, Hijab, and headscarf debate. While it was acknowledged that regressive regimes like Saudi Arabia and Iran don't pay much heed to a Muslim woman's right to choose, but when liberal enclaves like the EU legislate on a Muslim woman's choices it raises grave questions. We further discuss the need to incorporate colonial history in British school curriculum, given identity politics and a yearning for the glory days of the empire played a role in Brexit. We pivot back to India where Nehruvian consensus has been abandoned, and dissect the reasons behind the majoritarian impulses that threaten the secular fabric of India.
With Cyber offensives becoming the new form of asymmetric warfare, we discuss in brief the legality of hacking back adversaries in cyber space.
We are entering a new era of uncertainty where liberal norms are being challenged and progressivism under threat. The Global Politics will stay true in its endeavor to help its readers navigates through these uncharted waters.
