Making the nation manly: The case of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013) and India's search for regional dominance in an era of neo-liberal globalization

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-193
Author(s):  
Sikata Banerjee ◽  
Rina Verma Williams
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Muscular Strength ◽  
Film Industry ◽  
The Political ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Global Political Economy ◽  
Cultural Milieu ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Strength And Toughness

Abstract This article unpacks a particular gendered vision of nation that we term muscular nationalism. Briefly put, muscular nationalism is an intersection of a specific vision of masculinity with the political doctrine of nationalism. This idea of nation is animated by an idea of manhood associated with martial prowess, muscular strength and toughness. A particular interpretation of muscular nationalism has unfolded in India within a cultural milieu shaped by an assertive self-confidence fuelled by 'liberalization', a process by which India has been integrated into the global political economy, coupled with the prominence of Hindu nationalist politics. India's prolific commercial film industry centred in Mumbai has used images of manhood to express and valorize these cultural changes. We use the popular and critically acclaimed film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), directed by Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, to illustrate how athleticism and India's desire for regional dominance in South Asia shape muscular nationalism.

Land to the Tiller. The Political Economy of Agrarian Reform in South Asia.

1984 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
John Harriss ◽  
Ronald J. Herring
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Agrarian Reform ◽  
The Political

scholarly journals Professor Janet Wasko: An Interview with the President of the IAMCR and one of the Key Representatives of the Political Economy of Communication Approach

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-27
Author(s):  
Jernej Amon Prodnik ◽  
Janet Wasko
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Film Industry ◽  
International Association ◽  
The Political ◽  
Communication Studies ◽  
Communication Research ◽  
Communication Approach ◽  
The University ◽  
Media And Communication ◽  
Political Economy Approach

This paper presents an interview with Janet Wasko. She is a Professor and Knight Chair in Communication Research at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication and widely considered as one of the key authors working in the tradition of the political economy of communication. Currently she is serving as the President of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR), one of the key international associations in the field of media and communication studies. She previously held several other positions in the IAMCR and served as the head of the Political Economy-section, which she also helped to establish. Professor Wasko published several influential books on the film industry, especially on Hollywood and the Disney Corporation. We talked especially about the influences on her approach, about her position in the IAMCR, her understanding of how the cultural and media industries work, the political economy approach in media and communication studies, and issues related to the film industry, which she mostly tackles in her own research.

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