Nchi : Caste Society And Politics In India
Author | : Susan Bayly |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 440 |
Release | : |
ISBN-10 | : 0521678617 |
ISBN-13 | : 9780521678612 |
Rating | : 4/5 (17 Downloads) |
Download or read book Nchi : Caste Society And Politics In India written by Susan Bayly and published by . This book was released on with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The phenomenon of caste has probably aroused more controversy than any other aspect of Indian life and thought. Susan Bayly s cogent and sophisticated analysis explores the emergence of the ideas, experiences and practices which gave rise to the so-called caste society from the pre-colonial period to the end of the twentieth century. Using an historical and anthropological approach, she frames her analysis within the context of India s dynamic economic and social order, interpreting caste not as an essence of Indian culture and civilization, but rather as a contingent and variable response to the changes that occurred in the subcontinent s political landscape through the colonial conquest. The idea of caste in relation to Western and Indian orientalist thought is also explored.