Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The Introduction contextualizes the study of a school as a site to explore secularism as an idea and everyday practice. It outlines the broader scholarly debates around secularism and underscores the distinctiveness of Indian secularism. In the Indian context, the chapter argues that secularism extends beyond the state–religion relationship and is interwoven with the concepts of nationalism, equality, and social justice. Further, the chapter explores scholarship that establishes schools as complex sites to understand how ideas and ideologies are enacted, negotiated, and contested. The chapter also reflects on the methodological journey, highlighting the issues and challenges encountered in the ethnographic study of a school on a politically sensitive topic.</jats:p>