Though India and Pakistan have a common past, the story of the freedom struggle is recounted in their school textbooks in vastly differing ways. In this, the first book of its kind, Krishna Kumar explains how the history texts of both countries selectively narrate incidents or refrain from doing so for various ideological and cultural reasons. In order to show how widely the two perceptions vary, the author compares the textbooks currently used in Indian and Pakistani schools. He examines the representation of major episodes – like the 1857 rebellion, independence and partition – and the portrayal of personalities like Gandhi and Jinnah. While the Pakistani texts, for example, depict Gandhi as a Hindu leader, Indian textbooks elevate him to a mythic status. Similarly, while the Pakistani books project Jinnah as a semi-divine visionary, the Indian ones refer to him with resentment. The last part of the book analyses essays written on partition by Indian and Pakistani schoolchildren. Not blighted by stock responses, the essays, vibrant and spontaneous, touch on diverse topics like Kashmir, the futility of war and cricket. By focusing on education and the young, Prejudice and Pride holds out hope of reconciliation between the two countries. Original, objective and full of surprising insights, the book is bound to appeal to academicians and laymen alike.
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