Showing all 5 books
In this impressive new work, Benjamin Zachariah questions the tendency to regard nationalism as a necessary, inevitable and natural basis upon which to organise the world. In doing so, he embarks on a series of reflections on a longstanding project in Indian historiography which has till today not reached successful resolution: that of ‘decentring’ the nation as the central focus of history-writing in and about India. This outstanding collection ...
How did Jawaharlal Nehru come to lead the Indian nationalist movement, and how did he sustain his leadership as the first Prime Minister of independent India? Nehru's vision of India, its roots in Indian politics and society, as well as its viability have been central to historical and present-day views of India. This engaging new biography dispels many myths surrounding Nehru, and distinguishes between the icon he has become and the politician he actually was. ...
This unusual work delves into the underlying notions of progress, self-government, and nation building in developmental goals articulated in India in the late colonial period. The author, considers how ideas of 'development' in India took shape in the 1930s and 1940s driven by immediate political battles, yet inspired by a vision of the future that incorporated notions of freedom and equity. He carries the narrative into the fifties, drawing on a variety of ...