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India and Pakistan
This first volume in the series looks at a region that is all too often viewed through the prism of European experience: India and Pakistan. Ian Talbot provides a wide-ranging study of nationalism in a non-European context, showing how the 'invention' of modern India and Pakistan drew heavily for inspiration on indigenous values.
Analyzing both the effects of colonial rule and the post-colonial aftermath, the book is a readable and up-to-date introduction to the major issues in the contemporary history of the sub-continent and an examination of a recent trend in historical writing to emphasize the extent to which nations are made, not born. The book explores whether the forging of the nation is a matter of conscious manipulation by an elite or guided by more popular imperatives or a combination of the two.
Analyzing both the effects of colonial rule and the post-colonial aftermath, the book is a readable and up-to-date introduction to the major issues in the contemporary history of the sub-continent and an examination of a recent trend in historical writing to emphasize the extent to which nations are made, not born. The book explores whether the forging of the nation is a matter of conscious manipulation by an elite or guided by more popular imperatives or a combination of the two.
- GenresNonfiction
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 9, 2000
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About the author
Ian Talbot
34 books17 followersIan Talbot is professor of history at Southampton University and one of Europe's leading historians of South Asia. He is the author of many books on the subcontinent.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 29, 2012
A book that could have been so much better. Talbot does come up with some interesting insights occasionally but falls prey to some stereotypes regarding India prevailing at the time this was written. In an unfortunate attempt to logically back those, he's made serious factual errors.
The worst instance would be one where he spoke of the rising Hindu fundamentalism sweeping India in the late 1980s (true only partially) and backed this by mentioning a Doordarshan program that "focused on the Hindu Chanakya instead of his Buddhist King Ashoka" (10 year old Indians know that Chanakya served Chandragupta).
Mistakes of this kind ruined a book that was good in many parts.
The worst instance would be one where he spoke of the rising Hindu fundamentalism sweeping India in the late 1980s (true only partially) and backed this by mentioning a Doordarshan program that "focused on the Hindu Chanakya instead of his Buddhist King Ashoka" (10 year old Indians know that Chanakya served Chandragupta).
Mistakes of this kind ruined a book that was good in many parts.
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June 20, 2013Very informative, objective and neutral.
Pigeonholed historical narratives explained in terms of primordial, perennial and modernist traditions and approaches.
Pigeonholed historical narratives explained in terms of primordial, perennial and modernist traditions and approaches.
April 2, 2013
One of the best book son identity construction in Indian Subcontinent.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews