Contents
Chapter No. Title Page No.
Abstract
List of tables
List of figures
List of abbreviations
I. Introduction 1-70
1.1. Religion 3
1.2. Definitions of Religion 5
1.3. Philosophy of Religion 6
1.4. Nature and Scope of Religion 7
1.5. Theories of Religion 8
1.5.1. Individualist (Psychological) 8
1.5.2. Essentialist (Metaphysical) 9
1.5.3. Evolutionary (Historical) 10
1.5.4. Functional (Pragmatic and Social) 11
1.5.5. Structuralist (Sociological) 13
1.6. World Religions 14
1.7. Religions in India 15
1.7.1. Hinduism 15
1.7.2. Buddhism 15
1.7.3. Jainism 16
1.7.4. Sikhism 17
1.7.5. Islam 17
1.7.6. Christianity 18
1.7.7. Zoroastrianism 18
1.7.8. Judaism 19
1.8. Thinker’s Views on Religion 19
1.8.1. Karl Marx 19
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1.8.2. Vivekananda 20
1.8.3. Gandhi 21
1.8.4. Periyar 22
1.8.5. Ambedkar 23
1.9. Religious Conversion 25
1.10. Mass Conversion 26
1.11. Reconversion 27
1.12. Anti-Conversion Law 28
1.13. Meenakshipuram Conversion – A Brief History 29
1.13.1. Meenakshipuram Village 30
1.13.2. Early Conversions 31
1.13.3. Social Discrimination 32
1.13.4. Education and Employment Opportunities 33
1.13.5. Land Disputes 35
1.13.6. Immediate Cause of Conversion -Police Atrocities 37
1.13.7. Conversion Plan 40
1.13.8. Meeting with the Muslim Leaders 41
1.13.9. Change of Names 44
1.13.10. Construction of Mosque 45
1.13.11. Reconversion 45
1.13.12. Conversion and Media 47
1.13.13. The Politics of Post Conversion 47
1.13.14. Reaction of Union Government 48
1.13.15. Conflict between Makwana and Government of Tamil Nadu 53
1.13.16. State Government’s Action 56
1.13.17. Reaction of Hindu Organizations 57
1.13.18. Hindu Solidarity Conference 61
1.13.19. Intervention of Other Organizations 63
1.13.20. Present Social and Economic Condition of the Converted Muslims 63
1.13.21. Marriage Relationship 64
1.13.22. Worship of Converted Muslims 64
1.13.23. Occupation 65
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1.13.24. Parliament Debate on Meenakshipuram Conversion 65
1.13.25. Legislative Assembly debate on Meenakshipuram Conversion 67
1.14. Victimological Approach to the Study of Religious Conversion 68
II. Review of Literature 71-117
2.1. Caste 72
2.2. Current Status of Dalits 73
2.3. Educational Status 75
2.4. Political Status 76
2.5. Religion and Dalit Exploitation 76
2.6. Prevention of Atrocities Act, 2015 77
2.7. Religion 81
2.8. Conversion 86
2.9. Mass Conversion 95
2.10. Mass Conversion of Paravas 96
2.11. Reconversion 97
2.12. Theories of Religious Conversion 107
2.12.1. Globalization Theory 107
2.12.2. Post-Colonial Theory 108
2.12.3. Feminist Theory 109
2.12.4. Cross-Cultural Theory 109
2.12.5. Religious/Spiritual Theory 111
2.12.6. Intellectualist Theory 111
2.12.7. Narrative Theory 112
2.12.8. Identity Theory 113
2.12.9. Ritual Theory 113
2.12.10. Psychoanalytic Theory 114
2.12.11. Archetypal Theory 114
2.12.12. Attribution Theory 115
2.12.13. Attachment Theory 115
2.12.14. Process Theory 116
2.12.15. Islamization Theory 116
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III. Research Methods 118-128
3.1. Research Design 118
3.2. Significance of the Study 119
3.3. Statement of the Problem 121
3.4. Objectives of the Study 122
3.5. Research Questions 122
3.6. Locale of Study 123
3.6.1. District Formation 124
3.6.2. Origin of the District 124
3.6.3. Boundaries 125
3.7. Census Survey Method 126
3.8. Pretest 126
3.9. Tools and Techniques 126
3.10. Reliability Analysis 127
3.11. Group Discussion 127
3.12. Analysis and Interpretation 128
3.13. Limitations of the Study 128
3.14. Chapterization 128
IV. Results and Discussion
129-266
4.1. Demographic and Socio–Economic Status 130
4.2. Factors Responsible for Mass Conversion 141
4.3. Impact of Conversion on the Socio-Economic Condition of the
Converted Muslims 179
4.4. Status of Converted Muslims in the Mainstream Muslim Society 196
4.5. Reaction of the State, Union Governments and other Organizations 245
V. Summary and Conclusion 267-284
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References i-xxviii
Appendices
i. Interview Schedule xxix-xxxvi
ii. Case Interview -1 xxxvii-lx
iii. Case Interview -2 lxi-lxviii
iv. Legislative Assembly Debates lxix-lxxv
v. Maps lxxvi-lxxxi
vi. Field Work Photos lxxxii-lxxxiv
vii. List of Publications lxxxv-cvii
viii. Curriculum Vitae of the Scholar cviii-cix
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