Abstract

Hindu–Christian encounters in North America have been shaped by complex and conflicting national narratives about race, ethnicity, and cultural pluralism, as well as by intersecting Hindu social relations of caste, gender, and class. This chapter explores how these dynamics have shaped the development of temples and organizations as spaces for Hindu self-representation and advocacy in the wider community. It then provides a brief survey of some recent issues that demonstrate a spectrum of Hindu political and religious perspectives, from the California textbook controversy to debates around yoga and cultural appropriation.