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Texts of Power Emerging Disciplines in Colonial Bengal Partha Chatterjee, editor |
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The case of Bengal illustrates the interaction of colonialism and modernity. Bengal was the first "modern" province in India—the first, that is, to undergo a forced encounter with Western modernity. Beginning with this premise, the writers in Texts of Power consider what the case of Bengal says about the workings of Western modernity in a colonial setting. A truly interdisciplinary effort, this collection probes questions of pedagogy, nationalism, and gender. Among the subjects explored are colonialist and nationalist surveillance of Bengali literature; the disposition of the nation's art; the politics of child-rearing; the mapping of Calcutta; and the disciplining of historical memory. By applying the theoretical insights of recent historical and cultural studies to the specific circumstances of Bengal, the authors develop a new approach to Indian intellectual and cultural history. Their work makes a significant contribution to our understanding of contemporary intellectual modernity. "Framed by a vision outlined in a superb introduction by the editor, Partha Chatterjee. Ambitious and unusually sophisticated and coherent set of essays on the emergence of modern disciplines in a colonial context." —Journal of Asian Studies Contributors: Pradip Kumar Bose, Keya Dasgupta, Tapati Guha-Thakurta, Tapti Roy, Ranabir Samaddar. Partha Chatterjee is professor of political science at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences in Calcutta, India. 232 pages | 5 7/8 x 9 | 1995 |
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$28.00 Paper