WHAT IS THE UNDERSTANDING HINDUPHOBIA CONFERENCE?

The UH conferences are designed to animate the robust Working Definition of Hinduphobia that was developed by Understanding Hinduphobia’s founding scholars and presented during UH 2021. The definition has since been recognized by major Hindu American civil rights organizations, several universities, and numerous cities across the United States. We believe this signals that when Hindu American scholars and students work together in concert with compassionate policymakers and administrators, we can effect positive change for our community.  

The UH definition provides a test, a checklist, and a rubric for anyone to understand Hinduphobia. Once we understand the phenomenon we are discussing, it becomes easier to catalog, give evidence for, and analyze Hinduphobia, in a way that cannot be refuted with rhetoric that distracts from the central point.  This only underscores how vital and effective it is for us to keep pushing forward, with continued vigor, rigor, and transparency, to keep building a robust body of scholarship at the confluence of multiple disciplines, with methodological, theoretical, and analytical heft and innovation. 

The Understanding Hinduphobia conference is an offering from the Hindu community to the broader American community. It is an opportunity, a platform, to create greater understanding within and about the Hindu community, to move through the uncomfortable and often painful process of unlearning what people think they know about us to see us anew. Every two to three years, we publish an open Call for Proposals, reflecting our commitment to academic freedom and transparency. Each proposal is then disidentified for review.

Understanding Hinduphobia is dedicated to fostering partnerships with campus-based Hindu organizations. This year, we are thrilled to announce a collaboration with Hindu YUVA as our esteemed student organization partner! We extend our sincere gratitude to the Hindu Students Council for their invaluable support in launching this ambitious initiative! They will always hold a special place within the UH community and remain our cherished partners. We eagerly anticipate working with both organizations for many years to come.