Can science be seen as the flag bearer of the ‘civilizing mission’ dispelling the darkness of centuries of superstition? Did the installation of new technological systems displace ancient primitive techniques? Rejecting the simplistic notion of transmission of science and technology, this reader argues for a variety of perspectives. Part of the prestigious themes in Indian history series, it provides an excellent introduction to the world of science and technology in colonial India. Departing from the standard practice of seeing science as a cultural universal, Social History of Science in Colonial India emphasizes the need for redrawing boundaries long taken for granted. It investigates how modern science–considered a pristine western cultural import–was reconstituted in the encounter with other ways of knowing and acting on the world. Bringing together some of the finest–even rare–writings on the subject, this volume highlights the multiplicity of historiographic positions on colonial science and the changing landscapes for the study of science in South Asia. The contributors approach issues related to science and colonialism from a variety of scientific disciplines. They engage with the drift produced by the entanglement of science and values and the complicity of the scientific project in that of imperialism. This reader will be indispensable for course related to history and sociology of science. It will also be an important resource for students and scholars of modern Indian history and those engaged with the study of science and society in colonial India.
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