Cultures and Societies in Transition: India, Russia and Other Cis Countries

As political, economic and social changes sweep across the globe, the term globalisation acquires a meaning much beyond geopolitics and economics to include the globalisation of culture. While societies attempt to reconcile their ancient as well as new cultural identities they silently and sometimes turbulently witness a state of dynamic flux unleashing powerful forces of further socio-cultural transition.India reflects a multitude of cultures both traditional and modern, that often blend, sometimes co-exist, at other times clash and at times fuse to give new meaning, form and expression in arts, language and culture.While contemporary Russian Social and cultural trends break from the Soviet past, the newly independent states of the CIS in their assertion of national identities are distancing themselves from Russian Language, literature, are forms and cultural heroes by either reviving lost traditions or attempting to find new cultural voices.These social and cultural transitions and transformations and the cultural history in the making in India and the CIS, need a close study. This book is a collection of critiques and essays by leading experts from diverse backgrounds from India, Russia and other CIS countries and brings together their insights and views on the rapid socio-cultural transition that these countries are passing through.