Sanskrit and 'Orientalism': Indology and Comparative Linguistics in Germany, 1750-1958

by D.R. SarDesai (Editor), Douglas T. McGetchin

The groundbreaking studies contained in this volume present a history of Sanskrit philology and comparative-historical linguistics that is fully integrated with German political and intellectual history ranging from the Enlightenment to Cold War eras. These thoroughly researched essays examine the accounts of German travellers to India, the early Indological project of Friedrich Schlegel, the politics and history of the university disciplines of Indology and comparative linguistics, the scholarly reception and reaction to the Bhagavadgita and Buddhism, Indology's relation to racial theory, and more.

386 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Dr. Damodar R. SarDesai is Emeritus Professor of History at UCLA. He formerly served as both Chair and Vice-Chair of the History Department at UCLA. Professor SarDesai is one of the world's leading South-East Asia scholars, although he has also researched & written extensively in the field of South Asian studies, and is perhaps best known as the author of 'Southeast Asia: Past & Present', which is now in its seventh edition. Professor SarDesai has received so many grants, awards and honors during the course of his career that I am not even going to attempt listing them.