Kinship has been a central concern of anthropology for more than a century. As a key element in the organization of every human society, kinship is also a major source of the principles that guide people in the other spheres of life. Ronald B. Inden, a historian of India, and Ralph W. Nicholas, an anthropologist who has studied contemporary Bengali culture and society, have joined complementary skills to analyze the kinship system of a major human society that ...
Tonald Inden’s writings have contributed immensely to the understanding of Indian history. Written over a period of twenty years, this important collection spans three historical periods: ancient, medieval, and modern. It reflects an effective integration of historical and anthropological approaches to the study of the subcontinent. Dwelling upon issues related to caste, religion, and constructions of history, this volume showcases Inden’s seminal ...