Anita Anand | Global Citizens: The Antidote To Identity Politics

Zohran Mamdani’s historic landslide victory in the race for New York City’s mayor brings both hope and disappointment.

Hope because it signifies the end of an era of sameness and the beginning of something new. Dismay because it breeds fear in those Americans who support the status quo and are afraid of the unfamiliar.

In Mr Mamdani’s victory, even more so. He’s young (indicating inexperience), says he’s Muslim (highlighting the Other), and promises justice and a fairer distribution of wealth in the city (signalling an end to corruption and crony capitalism).

Mr Mamdani organised his election campaign around three fronts -- identity, religion and issues. I will examine what identity and religion involve, as I have no significant disagreement with the issues front.

Identity politics focuses on organising around shared experiences of injustice faced by specific social groups, aiming to build a more inclusive and fair society by challenging and reducing exclusion, discrimination and marginalisation. It highlights identity markers like ethnicity, gender, caste and religion, which are used to empower, represent, and recognise affected groups.

Members of a social group often face similar discrimination and injustice. Recognising these common experiences, identity politics aims to build solidarity and a sense of community among members. This shared identity forms the basis for political action and advocacy.

Ethnicity, which also includes religion, consists of shared cultural, linguistic and ancestral traits. Gender refers to the experiences and challenges faced by different gender identities. Caste is a form of social stratification based on hereditary status, encompassing shared beliefs, practices and values.

Identity politics, by empowering marginalized groups, helps preserve and promote diverse cultural identities, ensuring that different traditions and identities are acknowledged and respected.

Mr Mamdani targeted the lower and middle-income residents of New York City from diverse ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds who are affected by high living costs, discrimination and corruption. And those fed up with the same old, same old governance.

However, identity politics can cause polarisation and division as diverse groups compete for recognition and resources. It can also marginalise groups or individuals who do not meet certain identity markers. Additionally, it is vulnerable to manipulation by political parties and leaders seeking support and votes, which can sometimes weaken societal cohesion and unity. This is happening now.

In India, over the past decade since the BJP came to power, the Hindutva agenda has been promoted, and the concept of unity in diversity has been neglected. Increasingly, Indians are led to believe that being Indian is equivalent to being Hindu, often a fundamentalist one. There is little room for other minorities, religious or otherwise.

In the United States too, in recent years, right-wing Christians and evangelists have dominated identity politics. Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) slogan and campaigns have focused on targeting immigrants and non-Christians, especially Muslims, overlooking the fact that America was made great by immigrants since settlers set foot in the land.

Mr Mamdani confidently affirms his Muslim identity in public appearances and on social media. In New York City, with a total population of eight million, Islam is the third most practised religion after Christianity and Judaism. Estimates suggest that approximately 900,000 Muslims live in New York City, making it the city with the largest Muslim population in the United States.

Zohran Mandani was born in Uganda. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a Ugandan citizen, an anthropologist, academic, and political commentator. His mother is Mira Nair, the celebrated Indian-born filmmaker. Zohran’s family moved to the US when he was seven, and he holds dual citizenship of the US and Uganda, according to public sources. While Zohran’s mother was born into a Hindu family, his father was born to Muslim parents in India, who later moved to Uganda. I am therefore curious why he only says he’s a Muslim. Is religion inherited only from the father’s side? What about the mother? I understand it to be political expediency.

We are shaped by our culture. I grew up in an Arya Samaj household, a Hindu reform movement founded in 1875 that aimed to address social injustices within Hindu society. It emphasised educational reform, gender equality and a casteless society, which laid the groundwork for future social reform movements in India.

In our home, there were no idols, no photos of gods and goddesses, and no puja room. We did a havan occasionally. I attended Catholic schools and colleges and worked at a Quaker centre in rural India. I was involved with a multi-faith centre at my university in Ohio in the US, which served students of all faiths. As a professional, I worked for the social advocacy branch of the Methodist Church in Washington DC. More recently, I consulted with several organisations in Afghanistan working with followers of Islam. My life has been enriched by all these influences. I recognise the strengths and challenges of each and choose what I find relevant to my life. I consider myself a world citizen.

But I am not a politician. I understand why Zohran Mamdani emphasised his Muslim identity. And he is a progressive Muslim. His political party has a sharp vision -- a good one.

However, I would have liked him to promote a vision where we see ourselves as seekers of truth, starting with what we inherit from any religion. We can aim to become the best versions of ourselves not by identifying solely with any particular group, whether minority or not, but as fellow seekers on a journey toward emancipation -- free from bigotry, biases, dogma, customs or traditions that hinder us and cause us to be less open-minded and more violent in thought and action. We embrace the Other.

Our shared future depends on viewing ourselves as global citizens.

The writer is a development and communications consultant