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The Idea of India
A Dialogue
Series: History for Peace
Brief Description
A lively discussion between two eminent Indian academics that examines what it means to be an Indian. Through a stimulating dialogue, two old friends trace the history of the idea of India through digressions, anecdotes, and observations. Historian Romila Thapar and theorist Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak reflect...
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Description
A lively discussion between two eminent Indian academics that examines what it means to be an Indian.
Through a stimulating dialogue, two old friends trace the history of the idea of India through digressions, anecdotes, and observations. Historian Romila Thapar and theorist Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak reflect on the challenges posed by essentialism and exclusion whenever cultures attempt to define and assert themselves. They also emphasize the role of education in fostering a more inclusive and accurate understanding of the nation's complex history. Their conversation revolves around the narratives that have shaped Indian identity—from Vedic times to the present—and those whose voices and visions for this land remain unheard and unseen.
Ranging from nationalism to religion and beyond, The Idea of India discusses an urgent question: What does it mean to be an Indian in contemporary society?
Series: History for Peace
View all-
The Idea of India
A lively discussion between two eminent Indian academics that examines what it means to be an Indian. Through a stimulating dialogue, two old friends trace the history of the idea of India through digressions, anecdotes, and observations. Historian Romila Thapar and theorist Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak reflect on the challenges posed by essentialism and exclusion whenever cultures attempt to define and...Hardback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
Looking Back through Our Identities
An accessible monograph that invites readers to rethink traditional historical boundaries in its exploration of myth and memory. Looking Back through Our Identities explores the intricate relationship between myth and history in shaping the identities of diverse Indian communities. Through a meticulous analysis of ancient texts and oral traditions, Aloka Parasher Sen examines how the past is interpreted and navigated...Hardback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
Thinking Aloud
Compelling and personal essays that underscore the importance of inclusive storytelling in understanding our world. In Thinking Aloud, Jerry Pinto examines the notion of Bollywood as a national cinema in a linguistically diverse India. He traces its evolution from films from the 1940s–50s like Kismet and Mother India—which contributed to national identity through its themes of sacrifice and unity—to male-centric...Hardback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781803093840
Publisher: Seagull Books London Ltd
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 08 October 2024
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Seagull Books London Ltd
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 13.0mm
Width: 108.0mm
Height: 178.0mm
Weight: 172g
Pages: 77
About the Author
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak is university professor in the humanities at Columbia University and the author of many books, including Nationalism and the Imagination, also published by Seagull Books. Romila Thapar is an emeritus professor of history at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and she was previously general president of the Indian History Congress. She is a fellow of the British Academy and holds honorary doctorates from the Universities of Calcutta, Oxford University, and the University of Chicago, among others. She is an Honorary Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, and SOAS, London. In 2008, she was awarded the prestigious Kluge Prize from the Library of Congress.
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