Latha Varadarajan
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199733910
- eISBN:
- 9780199866205
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199733910.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter is the first of three chapters explaining the production of the Indian domestic abroad. At the moment of independence in 1947, the postcolonial Indian state very deliberately adopted a ...
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This chapter is the first of three chapters explaining the production of the Indian domestic abroad. At the moment of independence in 1947, the postcolonial Indian state very deliberately adopted a policy of distancing itself from the emigrant communities identified variously as “Indians abroad” or “Overseas Indians.” What made this move puzzling was that these very groups had not too long ago been identified by the Indian nationalist movement as an essential part of the Indian nation that had been involved in an epic struggle against British colonial rule. The chapter sets up the puzzle of the shift from the transnational nationalism that prevailed during colonialism, and the nature of the more territorially based nationalism that replaced it following independence. Following postcolonial scholarship, it begins by situating the contestations regarding the meaning and extent of the modern Indian nation and state in the context of the historical experience of colonialism.Less
This chapter is the first of three chapters explaining the production of the Indian domestic abroad. At the moment of independence in 1947, the postcolonial Indian state very deliberately adopted a policy of distancing itself from the emigrant communities identified variously as “Indians abroad” or “Overseas Indians.” What made this move puzzling was that these very groups had not too long ago been identified by the Indian nationalist movement as an essential part of the Indian nation that had been involved in an epic struggle against British colonial rule. The chapter sets up the puzzle of the shift from the transnational nationalism that prevailed during colonialism, and the nature of the more territorially based nationalism that replaced it following independence. Following postcolonial scholarship, it begins by situating the contestations regarding the meaning and extent of the modern Indian nation and state in the context of the historical experience of colonialism.
Dohra Ahmad
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195332766
- eISBN:
- 9780199868124
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195332766.003.0003
- Subject:
- Literature, American, 20th Century Literature
This chapter investigates the imaginative space produced by the New York–based Indian nationalist periodical Young India, published by Lala Lajpat Rai between 1918 and 1920. Like other periodicals, ...
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This chapter investigates the imaginative space produced by the New York–based Indian nationalist periodical Young India, published by Lala Lajpat Rai between 1918 and 1920. Like other periodicals, Young India fosters an “imagined community”; unlike the reactionary and intolerant nationalisms that Benedict Anderson and others have studied, Young India’s community is transnational and transcultural, insisting on diversity of race, religion, and opinion as one of its defining characteristics. Far from being limited to the subcontinent of South Asia, Young India projects a constituency of colonized and other working people in Ireland, Egypt, Turkey, Persia, Japan, China, and the United States.Less
This chapter investigates the imaginative space produced by the New York–based Indian nationalist periodical Young India, published by Lala Lajpat Rai between 1918 and 1920. Like other periodicals, Young India fosters an “imagined community”; unlike the reactionary and intolerant nationalisms that Benedict Anderson and others have studied, Young India’s community is transnational and transcultural, insisting on diversity of race, religion, and opinion as one of its defining characteristics. Far from being limited to the subcontinent of South Asia, Young India projects a constituency of colonized and other working people in Ireland, Egypt, Turkey, Persia, Japan, China, and the United States.
Sabyasachi Bhattacharya
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198075042
- eISBN:
- 9780199080816
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198075042.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, History of Ideas
It is easy to pick holes in the nationalist representation of Indian civilization. This chapter looks at some of its problems and infirmities. It refutes the assumption of the continuity — in terms ...
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It is easy to pick holes in the nationalist representation of Indian civilization. This chapter looks at some of its problems and infirmities. It refutes the assumption of the continuity — in terms of location in a territorially defined political unit over a long period — in Indian civilization. The chapter goes on to evaluate works of modern Indian historiographers.Less
It is easy to pick holes in the nationalist representation of Indian civilization. This chapter looks at some of its problems and infirmities. It refutes the assumption of the continuity — in terms of location in a territorially defined political unit over a long period — in Indian civilization. The chapter goes on to evaluate works of modern Indian historiographers.
Sumit Sarkar
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199259885
- eISBN:
- 9780191744587
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199259885.003.0006
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History, Asian History
This is an exploration of the many meanings and forms of anti-colonial nationalisms in South Asia as well as of several distinctive historiographical approaches to such politics: Cambridge School, ...
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This is an exploration of the many meanings and forms of anti-colonial nationalisms in South Asia as well as of several distinctive historiographical approaches to such politics: Cambridge School, Subaltern Studies, post-colonial, left- and right-wing definitions. Within each category of writings, it probes into shifts, phases, and variations. It then looks at the formation of diverse identities among modern Indians and their relationship with nationalisms of different kinds. In particular, the essay explores how cultural production tried to resolve the contradictions among multiple and contentious political identities in search of a broad unity among all Indians, even if in the process, it confirmed more particularistic identities based on caste, religion, and gender. It argues that identities remained complex and unstable, mutually animating even as they were mutually exclusive. Finally, it looks at other genres of history writing that go beyond the colonial/colonized binary and focus on labouring classes, ‘low’ castes, and gender relationships against the broad backdrop of an overarching nationalism. It seeks to understand where nationalism may be relocated among this welter of identities and political action.Less
This is an exploration of the many meanings and forms of anti-colonial nationalisms in South Asia as well as of several distinctive historiographical approaches to such politics: Cambridge School, Subaltern Studies, post-colonial, left- and right-wing definitions. Within each category of writings, it probes into shifts, phases, and variations. It then looks at the formation of diverse identities among modern Indians and their relationship with nationalisms of different kinds. In particular, the essay explores how cultural production tried to resolve the contradictions among multiple and contentious political identities in search of a broad unity among all Indians, even if in the process, it confirmed more particularistic identities based on caste, religion, and gender. It argues that identities remained complex and unstable, mutually animating even as they were mutually exclusive. Finally, it looks at other genres of history writing that go beyond the colonial/colonized binary and focus on labouring classes, ‘low’ castes, and gender relationships against the broad backdrop of an overarching nationalism. It seeks to understand where nationalism may be relocated among this welter of identities and political action.
Fabrizio de Donno
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197264317
- eISBN:
- 9780191734472
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264317.003.0020
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
This chapter explores Mahatma Gandhi's engagement with Mazzinian ideas. It seeks to address the ways in which Giuseppe Mazzini and his doctrine became ‘Gandhian’; that is, how they were appropriated ...
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This chapter explores Mahatma Gandhi's engagement with Mazzinian ideas. It seeks to address the ways in which Giuseppe Mazzini and his doctrine became ‘Gandhian’; that is, how they were appropriated by the Indian as he incorporated them in his own thought. It is argued that the Gandhian use of Mazzini does not point to a direct influence of the Italian on the Indian, but to a reworking of the Italian's ideas based on the impact they had already had on Indian nationalism prior to Gandhi's appearance. While building on the Mazzinian foundation of Indian liberalism, but in contrast to the extremists who had given prominence to the insurrectionist aspects of Mazzini's thought and practice, Gandhi erects his own non-violent form of democratic nationalism, thus providing a non-violent interpretation of the Italian's figure and doctrine, and framing Mazzini's ‘truth’ within Gandhi's project of self-rule.Less
This chapter explores Mahatma Gandhi's engagement with Mazzinian ideas. It seeks to address the ways in which Giuseppe Mazzini and his doctrine became ‘Gandhian’; that is, how they were appropriated by the Indian as he incorporated them in his own thought. It is argued that the Gandhian use of Mazzini does not point to a direct influence of the Italian on the Indian, but to a reworking of the Italian's ideas based on the impact they had already had on Indian nationalism prior to Gandhi's appearance. While building on the Mazzinian foundation of Indian liberalism, but in contrast to the extremists who had given prominence to the insurrectionist aspects of Mazzini's thought and practice, Gandhi erects his own non-violent form of democratic nationalism, thus providing a non-violent interpretation of the Italian's figure and doctrine, and framing Mazzini's ‘truth’ within Gandhi's project of self-rule.
Mark Singleton
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195395358
- eISBN:
- 9780199777303
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195395358.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society, Hinduism
Chapter 5 considers more closely the Indian physical culture scene of the period. Colonial educators tended to present Hindu Indians as a weakling race who deserved to be dominated. The ...
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Chapter 5 considers more closely the Indian physical culture scene of the period. Colonial educators tended to present Hindu Indians as a weakling race who deserved to be dominated. The British physical culture regimes, however, were adopted by Indians and used as components of nationalist programs of regeneration and resistance to colonial rule. It is in this context that āsana began to be combined with modern physical culture and reworked as an “indigenous” technique of man‐building. Considered here are what are probably the earliest experiments in the synthesis of yoga and physical culture.Less
Chapter 5 considers more closely the Indian physical culture scene of the period. Colonial educators tended to present Hindu Indians as a weakling race who deserved to be dominated. The British physical culture regimes, however, were adopted by Indians and used as components of nationalist programs of regeneration and resistance to colonial rule. It is in this context that āsana began to be combined with modern physical culture and reworked as an “indigenous” technique of man‐building. Considered here are what are probably the earliest experiments in the synthesis of yoga and physical culture.
Dohra Ahmad
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195332766
- eISBN:
- 9780199868124
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195332766.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, American, 20th Century Literature
This book examines anti-colonial discourse during the understudied but critical period before World War II, with a specific focus on writers and activists based in the United States. The book ...
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This book examines anti-colonial discourse during the understudied but critical period before World War II, with a specific focus on writers and activists based in the United States. The book contributes to the fields of American Studies, utopian studies, and postcolonial theory by situating this growing anti-colonial literature as part of an American utopian tradition. In the key early decades of the 20th century, the intellectuals of the colonized world carried out the heady work of imagining independent states, often from a position of exile. Faced with that daunting task, many of them composed literary texts—novels, poems, contemplative essays—in order to conceptualize the new societies they sought. Beginning by exploring some of the conventions of American utopian fiction at the turn of the century, this book goes on to show the surprising ways in which writers such as W. E. B. Du Bois, Pauline Hopkins, Rabindranath Tagore, and Punjabi nationalist Lala Lajpat Rai appropriated and adapted those utopian conventions toward their own end of global emancipation of peoples of color.Less
This book examines anti-colonial discourse during the understudied but critical period before World War II, with a specific focus on writers and activists based in the United States. The book contributes to the fields of American Studies, utopian studies, and postcolonial theory by situating this growing anti-colonial literature as part of an American utopian tradition. In the key early decades of the 20th century, the intellectuals of the colonized world carried out the heady work of imagining independent states, often from a position of exile. Faced with that daunting task, many of them composed literary texts—novels, poems, contemplative essays—in order to conceptualize the new societies they sought. Beginning by exploring some of the conventions of American utopian fiction at the turn of the century, this book goes on to show the surprising ways in which writers such as W. E. B. Du Bois, Pauline Hopkins, Rabindranath Tagore, and Punjabi nationalist Lala Lajpat Rai appropriated and adapted those utopian conventions toward their own end of global emancipation of peoples of color.
Sabyasachi Bhattacharya
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198075042
- eISBN:
- 9780199080816
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198075042.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, History of Ideas
This chapter examines Rabindranath Tagore’s view of Indian civilization which later formed the basis of a full-fledged nationalist paradigm: the ‘syncretic’ civilization. Tagore argued that India’s ...
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This chapter examines Rabindranath Tagore’s view of Indian civilization which later formed the basis of a full-fledged nationalist paradigm: the ‘syncretic’ civilization. Tagore argued that India’s aim through the ages has been ‘to establish unity amidst diversity’, without eliminating the uniqueness of each element, while Western civilization has been characterized by self-aggrandizement and suppression of diversity by state power. While Tagore’s idea of India’s ‘syncretic civilization’ was incorporated in the nationalist ideology, he moved increasingly towards a highly critical stance in respect of nationalism inspired by Western ideas and history.Less
This chapter examines Rabindranath Tagore’s view of Indian civilization which later formed the basis of a full-fledged nationalist paradigm: the ‘syncretic’ civilization. Tagore argued that India’s aim through the ages has been ‘to establish unity amidst diversity’, without eliminating the uniqueness of each element, while Western civilization has been characterized by self-aggrandizement and suppression of diversity by state power. While Tagore’s idea of India’s ‘syncretic civilization’ was incorporated in the nationalist ideology, he moved increasingly towards a highly critical stance in respect of nationalism inspired by Western ideas and history.
Nicholas Owen
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199233014
- eISBN:
- 9780191716423
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199233014.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, Political History
This introductory chapter criticizes existing theories on the strengths and weaknesses of metropolitan anti-imperialism. It outlines the key dilemmas for the principal actors in the study. First, it ...
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This introductory chapter criticizes existing theories on the strengths and weaknesses of metropolitan anti-imperialism. It outlines the key dilemmas for the principal actors in the study. First, it explains the difficulties of the British left in understanding a movement — Indian nationalism — which made unfamiliar demands and employed unorthodox methods. Secondly, it explains the problems Indian nationalists had in detaching their movement from British leadership and patronage. The organizational consequences of these interlocking difficulties are then described.Less
This introductory chapter criticizes existing theories on the strengths and weaknesses of metropolitan anti-imperialism. It outlines the key dilemmas for the principal actors in the study. First, it explains the difficulties of the British left in understanding a movement — Indian nationalism — which made unfamiliar demands and employed unorthodox methods. Secondly, it explains the problems Indian nationalists had in detaching their movement from British leadership and patronage. The organizational consequences of these interlocking difficulties are then described.
Peter van der Veer
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691128146
- eISBN:
- 9781400848553
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691128146.001.0001
- Subject:
- Anthropology, Social and Cultural Anthropology
This book challenges the notion that modernity in China and India are derivative imitations of the West, arguing that these societies have transformed their ancient traditions in unique and ...
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This book challenges the notion that modernity in China and India are derivative imitations of the West, arguing that these societies have transformed their ancient traditions in unique and distinctive ways. The book begins with nineteenth-century imperial history, exploring how Western concepts of spirituality, secularity, religion, and magic were used to translate the traditions of India and China. The book traces how modern Western notions of religion and magic were incorporated into the respective nation-building projects of Chinese and Indian nationalist intellectuals, yet how modernity in China and India is by no means uniform. While religion is a centerpiece of Indian nationalism, it is viewed in China as an obstacle to progress that must be marginalized and controlled. The book moves deftly from Kandinsky's understanding of spirituality in art to Indian yoga and Chinese qi gong, from modern theories of secularism to histories of Christian conversion, from Orientalist constructions of religion to Chinese campaigns against magic and superstition, and from Muslim Kashmir to Muslim Xinjiang.Less
This book challenges the notion that modernity in China and India are derivative imitations of the West, arguing that these societies have transformed their ancient traditions in unique and distinctive ways. The book begins with nineteenth-century imperial history, exploring how Western concepts of spirituality, secularity, religion, and magic were used to translate the traditions of India and China. The book traces how modern Western notions of religion and magic were incorporated into the respective nation-building projects of Chinese and Indian nationalist intellectuals, yet how modernity in China and India is by no means uniform. While religion is a centerpiece of Indian nationalism, it is viewed in China as an obstacle to progress that must be marginalized and controlled. The book moves deftly from Kandinsky's understanding of spirituality in art to Indian yoga and Chinese qi gong, from modern theories of secularism to histories of Christian conversion, from Orientalist constructions of religion to Chinese campaigns against magic and superstition, and from Muslim Kashmir to Muslim Xinjiang.
Nicholas Owen
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199233014
- eISBN:
- 9780191716423
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199233014.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Political History
This book examines the complex and often troubled relationship between anti-imperialist campaigners in Britain and India, from the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 to the winning of ...
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This book examines the complex and often troubled relationship between anti-imperialist campaigners in Britain and India, from the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 to the winning of independence in 1947. It traces the efforts of British radicals and socialists to identify forms of anti-imperialism in India, which fitted comfortably with their existing beliefs and their sense of how authentic progressive movements were supposed to work. On the other side of the relationship, it charts the trajectory of the Indian National Congress as it shifted from appeals couched in language familiar to British progressives to the less familiar vocabulary and techniques of Mahatma Gandhi. The new Gandhian methods of self-reliance had unwelcome implications for the work that the British supporters of Congress had traditionally undertaken, leading to the collapse of their main organization, and the precipitation of anti-imperialist work into the turbulent cross-currents of left-wing British politics. Metropolitan anti-imperialism became largely a function of other commitments, whether communist, theosophical, pacifist, socialist, or anti-fascist. The book explains the strengths and weaknesses of these connections, and the ultimate failure to create the durable alliance between anti-imperialists which the British Empire's governors had always feared. Drawing on a wide range of newly available archival material in Britain and India, including the records of campaigning organizations, political parties, the British government, and the imperial security services, the chapter provides a full account of the diverse and fragmented world of British metropolitan anti-imperialism.Less
This book examines the complex and often troubled relationship between anti-imperialist campaigners in Britain and India, from the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 to the winning of independence in 1947. It traces the efforts of British radicals and socialists to identify forms of anti-imperialism in India, which fitted comfortably with their existing beliefs and their sense of how authentic progressive movements were supposed to work. On the other side of the relationship, it charts the trajectory of the Indian National Congress as it shifted from appeals couched in language familiar to British progressives to the less familiar vocabulary and techniques of Mahatma Gandhi. The new Gandhian methods of self-reliance had unwelcome implications for the work that the British supporters of Congress had traditionally undertaken, leading to the collapse of their main organization, and the precipitation of anti-imperialist work into the turbulent cross-currents of left-wing British politics. Metropolitan anti-imperialism became largely a function of other commitments, whether communist, theosophical, pacifist, socialist, or anti-fascist. The book explains the strengths and weaknesses of these connections, and the ultimate failure to create the durable alliance between anti-imperialists which the British Empire's governors had always feared. Drawing on a wide range of newly available archival material in Britain and India, including the records of campaigning organizations, political parties, the British government, and the imperial security services, the chapter provides a full account of the diverse and fragmented world of British metropolitan anti-imperialism.
Mark Singleton
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195395358
- eISBN:
- 9780199777303
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195395358.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society, Hinduism
Chapter 4 offers a brief account of modern nationalist physical culture. This provides the context for an examination of several of the most important forms of (Western) physical culture present in ...
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Chapter 4 offers a brief account of modern nationalist physical culture. This provides the context for an examination of several of the most important forms of (Western) physical culture present in India during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These forms were Scandinavian gymnastics on the model of Ling, the bodybuilding techniques and ethos of Sandow, and the various methods promoted by the Indian YMCA, headed by H. C. Buck. Each of these has had a profound effect on the shape of transnational yoga, both in terms of formal praxis and belief.Less
Chapter 4 offers a brief account of modern nationalist physical culture. This provides the context for an examination of several of the most important forms of (Western) physical culture present in India during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These forms were Scandinavian gymnastics on the model of Ling, the bodybuilding techniques and ethos of Sandow, and the various methods promoted by the Indian YMCA, headed by H. C. Buck. Each of these has had a profound effect on the shape of transnational yoga, both in terms of formal praxis and belief.
Benjamin Zachariah
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- October 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195670585
- eISBN:
- 9780199081639
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195670585.003.0005
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic History
This chapter deals with ideas of ‘development’ which were encompassed within the framework of mainstream Indian nationalism, that is those ideas which came to be generally acceptable at a national as ...
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This chapter deals with ideas of ‘development’ which were encompassed within the framework of mainstream Indian nationalism, that is those ideas which came to be generally acceptable at a national as opposed to a regional or local level. This principle of selection mainly privileges the views of intellectuals close to the Congress, but not exclusively so. It is shown that although the language in the 1930s was a peculiarly inter-War one, it was grafted on to intellectual currents and concerns emanating from within India, incorporating within itself nineteenth and early twentieth century debates, and adapting them to the new context. The chapter also analyses the ideas of ‘science’, economic and political ‘socialism’, and of ‘national discipline’, their intellectual antecedents, and the concerns and anxieties which drove them.Less
This chapter deals with ideas of ‘development’ which were encompassed within the framework of mainstream Indian nationalism, that is those ideas which came to be generally acceptable at a national as opposed to a regional or local level. This principle of selection mainly privileges the views of intellectuals close to the Congress, but not exclusively so. It is shown that although the language in the 1930s was a peculiarly inter-War one, it was grafted on to intellectual currents and concerns emanating from within India, incorporating within itself nineteenth and early twentieth century debates, and adapting them to the new context. The chapter also analyses the ideas of ‘science’, economic and political ‘socialism’, and of ‘national discipline’, their intellectual antecedents, and the concerns and anxieties which drove them.
Sagarika Dutt
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- July 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719069000
- eISBN:
- 9781781701409
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719069000.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This book looks at India in the context of a globalized world. It starts by looking at the history of Indian civilization, exploring the roots of Indian identity and highlighting processes such as ...
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This book looks at India in the context of a globalized world. It starts by looking at the history of Indian civilization, exploring the roots of Indian identity and highlighting processes such as foreign invasions, foreign trade, cultural imperialism, colonial rule and the growth of Indian nationalism. The founding fathers wanted India to be a liberal democracy and the values enshrined in the constitution were expected to form the basis of a society more in tune with the modern world. The book examines the gradual democratization of Indian politics. Cultural and ethnic divisions in Indian society are examined in depth, as are the problems that have prevented economic development and stood in the way of economic liberalization. The history of India's integration into the global economy is considered, and the opportunities available to the country in the early years of the twenty-first century are detailed. Alternative approaches to the development of the country, such as those put forward by Gandhi, are discussed, and the final chapters consider the Indian government's perception of the Indian diaspora, as well as the changing priorities reflected in India's foreign policy since 1947.Less
This book looks at India in the context of a globalized world. It starts by looking at the history of Indian civilization, exploring the roots of Indian identity and highlighting processes such as foreign invasions, foreign trade, cultural imperialism, colonial rule and the growth of Indian nationalism. The founding fathers wanted India to be a liberal democracy and the values enshrined in the constitution were expected to form the basis of a society more in tune with the modern world. The book examines the gradual democratization of Indian politics. Cultural and ethnic divisions in Indian society are examined in depth, as are the problems that have prevented economic development and stood in the way of economic liberalization. The history of India's integration into the global economy is considered, and the opportunities available to the country in the early years of the twenty-first century are detailed. Alternative approaches to the development of the country, such as those put forward by Gandhi, are discussed, and the final chapters consider the Indian government's perception of the Indian diaspora, as well as the changing priorities reflected in India's foreign policy since 1947.
Srila Roy
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780198081722
- eISBN:
- 9780199082223
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198081722.003.0003
- Subject:
- Sociology, Politics, Social Movements and Social Change
The chapter considers the representation of ‘woman’ in a variety of texts such as Party literature, literary, autobiographical, and media sources besides considering ‘official’ constructions of ...
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The chapter considers the representation of ‘woman’ in a variety of texts such as Party literature, literary, autobiographical, and media sources besides considering ‘official’ constructions of revolutionary masculinity. The primary objective of this chapter is to examine the centrality of femininity, masculinity, and class to the cultural imaginary of Naxalbari, especially to the constitution of an idealized male revolutionary subject. It examines, in turn, the representation of the ‘new man’ in Party literature, the dishonoured female subaltern and the (nurturing and militant) ‘mother’ in male memoir and Party texts, the heroic-albeit domesticated femininity in mainstream media besides considering the gendering of the public and private in popular fiction and film. The implications of these representational economies become evident in women’s discussions in subsequent chapters.Less
The chapter considers the representation of ‘woman’ in a variety of texts such as Party literature, literary, autobiographical, and media sources besides considering ‘official’ constructions of revolutionary masculinity. The primary objective of this chapter is to examine the centrality of femininity, masculinity, and class to the cultural imaginary of Naxalbari, especially to the constitution of an idealized male revolutionary subject. It examines, in turn, the representation of the ‘new man’ in Party literature, the dishonoured female subaltern and the (nurturing and militant) ‘mother’ in male memoir and Party texts, the heroic-albeit domesticated femininity in mainstream media besides considering the gendering of the public and private in popular fiction and film. The implications of these representational economies become evident in women’s discussions in subsequent chapters.
B. R. Nanda
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- October 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195658279
- eISBN:
- 9780199081394
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195658279.003.0020
- Subject:
- History, Indian History
This chapter discusses the Khilafat movement, which was considered as a deviation from the developments in Muslim politics. It notes that the Muslims were briefly drawn into conventional Indian ...
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This chapter discusses the Khilafat movement, which was considered as a deviation from the developments in Muslim politics. It notes that the Muslims were briefly drawn into conventional Indian nationalism during 1920–2, due to the efforts of Gandhi and the non-cooperation movement. It shows how Gandhi became involved in the Khilafat movement—for which he has been blamed for ‘exploiting’ Muslim religious grievances—and tries to explain how Turkey’s fate become an emotional issue for millions of Indian Muslims. It then examines the consequences of the failure of the Khilafat movement on India and Gandhi. The chapter concludes by noting that one of the best ways to unite the Hindu and Muslim communities was through ‘nation-building’.Less
This chapter discusses the Khilafat movement, which was considered as a deviation from the developments in Muslim politics. It notes that the Muslims were briefly drawn into conventional Indian nationalism during 1920–2, due to the efforts of Gandhi and the non-cooperation movement. It shows how Gandhi became involved in the Khilafat movement—for which he has been blamed for ‘exploiting’ Muslim religious grievances—and tries to explain how Turkey’s fate become an emotional issue for millions of Indian Muslims. It then examines the consequences of the failure of the Khilafat movement on India and Gandhi. The chapter concludes by noting that one of the best ways to unite the Hindu and Muslim communities was through ‘nation-building’.
Bharathi Ray
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780198083818
- eISBN:
- 9780199082186
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198083818.003.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Women's Literature
This chapter briefly reviews the lives of the two women, Sarala Devi Chaudhurani and Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain. Sarala and Rokeya were contemporaries, and were both concerned with the condition ...
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This chapter briefly reviews the lives of the two women, Sarala Devi Chaudhurani and Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain. Sarala and Rokeya were contemporaries, and were both concerned with the condition and status of women and their advancement. Sarala grew up in a happy, free, and culturally rich environment. She became a great leader of women. On the other hand, Rokeya’s childhood was not as happy as it might have been since her life was governed by forced seclusion from the outside world. The principal characteristic of her compositions was sarcasm and rebellion, and her primary theme was protest against the degenerate anti-women customs of her community. Her Sultana’s Dream was symbolic of that protest. The passion and work of both these women arose from within their families, in interaction with the tumultuous environments. They acutely sensed that the position of women in Bengal, whether Hindu or Muslim, was unbearable. In addition, they shared the view that the most effective recipe for enhancing women’s lives was education and building women’s organizations.Less
This chapter briefly reviews the lives of the two women, Sarala Devi Chaudhurani and Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain. Sarala and Rokeya were contemporaries, and were both concerned with the condition and status of women and their advancement. Sarala grew up in a happy, free, and culturally rich environment. She became a great leader of women. On the other hand, Rokeya’s childhood was not as happy as it might have been since her life was governed by forced seclusion from the outside world. The principal characteristic of her compositions was sarcasm and rebellion, and her primary theme was protest against the degenerate anti-women customs of her community. Her Sultana’s Dream was symbolic of that protest. The passion and work of both these women arose from within their families, in interaction with the tumultuous environments. They acutely sensed that the position of women in Bengal, whether Hindu or Muslim, was unbearable. In addition, they shared the view that the most effective recipe for enhancing women’s lives was education and building women’s organizations.
Bharathi Ray
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780198083818
- eISBN:
- 9780199082186
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198083818.003.0002
- Subject:
- Literature, Women's Literature
This chapter offers an overview of nineteenth century Bengali society, and the prevailing condition of women, both Hindu and Muslim. Dual standards of morality—a differential code of behaviour ...
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This chapter offers an overview of nineteenth century Bengali society, and the prevailing condition of women, both Hindu and Muslim. Dual standards of morality—a differential code of behaviour ordained for men and women—were the order of the day. The first woman in nineteenth century Bengal to make a passionate plea for the improvement of the status of women through the medium of the pen was Kailasbasini. Hindus and Muslims took two different routes when the British rule was established. The Hindus took full advantage of the opportunities offered by the British Government. Opting early for English education, the Hindus prospered, with access to government and other employment. Moreover, social reforms accompanied religious reforms, and a new ‘Hindu identity’ was fashioned, and womanhood was redefined. Nationalism gave a further fillip to it by endowing motherhood with new roles and political responsibilities. On the other hand, the Muslims were indifferent to British rule, and turned their face against English education. Inability to secure gainful employment coupled with reluctance to engage in trade and commerce, led to the decline in the circumstances of the Muslim community. The unequal development of the Hindu and the Muslim communities, especially of their middle classes, was a great tragedy in the social history of Bengal.Less
This chapter offers an overview of nineteenth century Bengali society, and the prevailing condition of women, both Hindu and Muslim. Dual standards of morality—a differential code of behaviour ordained for men and women—were the order of the day. The first woman in nineteenth century Bengal to make a passionate plea for the improvement of the status of women through the medium of the pen was Kailasbasini. Hindus and Muslims took two different routes when the British rule was established. The Hindus took full advantage of the opportunities offered by the British Government. Opting early for English education, the Hindus prospered, with access to government and other employment. Moreover, social reforms accompanied religious reforms, and a new ‘Hindu identity’ was fashioned, and womanhood was redefined. Nationalism gave a further fillip to it by endowing motherhood with new roles and political responsibilities. On the other hand, the Muslims were indifferent to British rule, and turned their face against English education. Inability to secure gainful employment coupled with reluctance to engage in trade and commerce, led to the decline in the circumstances of the Muslim community. The unequal development of the Hindu and the Muslim communities, especially of their middle classes, was a great tragedy in the social history of Bengal.
Ramin Jahanbegloo
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- October 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195689440
- eISBN:
- 9780199080342
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195689440.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Indian Politics
Focusing on the identity of Indians in modern times, in this interview Romila Thapar shares her views on a variety of topics that help describe the modern Indian. The interview begins by looking at ...
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Focusing on the identity of Indians in modern times, in this interview Romila Thapar shares her views on a variety of topics that help describe the modern Indian. The interview begins by looking at Indian nationalism and history, which has undergone both national and colonial interpretations. Thapar also discusses with Ramin Jahanbegloo the Aryan Invasion Theory, which states the possibility that Hindus descended from the Aryans, and shares her views on the two recognizable forms of Indian nationalism, the ways Indian history is being taught in Indian schools, and the ‘national philosophy of India’.Less
Focusing on the identity of Indians in modern times, in this interview Romila Thapar shares her views on a variety of topics that help describe the modern Indian. The interview begins by looking at Indian nationalism and history, which has undergone both national and colonial interpretations. Thapar also discusses with Ramin Jahanbegloo the Aryan Invasion Theory, which states the possibility that Hindus descended from the Aryans, and shares her views on the two recognizable forms of Indian nationalism, the ways Indian history is being taught in Indian schools, and the ‘national philosophy of India’.
Leah Renold
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- October 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195674835
- eISBN:
- 9780199081493
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195674835.003.0002
- Subject:
- History, Indian History
This chapter records the creation of the BHU and the Aligarh Muslim University. It shows that the almost immediate rise of these two universities served as an important moment for the evolution of ...
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This chapter records the creation of the BHU and the Aligarh Muslim University. It shows that the almost immediate rise of these two universities served as an important moment for the evolution of Indian nationalism and religious/ethnic identity. It describes Syed Ahmed Khan's efforts to set up a Muslim Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College with the view of helping Muslims reach top bureaucratic positions within the British government. Other voices, like that of Mohamed Ali's, argued for Muslim control. They believed that Muslims could rise only through a strengthening of Muslim ideals. The final section of the chapter closely examines the movement for the creation of the Hindu University where, Pandit Malaviya proposed, the students would be taught both Western and Indian knowledge.Less
This chapter records the creation of the BHU and the Aligarh Muslim University. It shows that the almost immediate rise of these two universities served as an important moment for the evolution of Indian nationalism and religious/ethnic identity. It describes Syed Ahmed Khan's efforts to set up a Muslim Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College with the view of helping Muslims reach top bureaucratic positions within the British government. Other voices, like that of Mohamed Ali's, argued for Muslim control. They believed that Muslims could rise only through a strengthening of Muslim ideals. The final section of the chapter closely examines the movement for the creation of the Hindu University where, Pandit Malaviya proposed, the students would be taught both Western and Indian knowledge.
