Liberalism, modernity and the nation: empire, identity and India Robb, Peter

Liberalism, Modernity, and the Nation explores interconnections between liberal rhetoric, modern technology and governance, and the constitution of modern identities including the nation. Focusing on Indian encounters with British constitutional and political policy, it brings together seminal writings of a distinguished academician. Dwelling on a colonial cast-list ranging from Clive to Attlee, Peter Robb discusses subjects as diverse as the uprisings of 1857, the policies of Ripon, the writings of Kipling, and the education of latter-day ICS officers. The spatial and temporal component of the themes investigated is striking- Colin Mackenzie's survey of Mysore, the trial of Indian 'Wahhabis', administrative 'assimilation' of North Eastern hill peoples, and the religious and nationalist dilemmas represented by M.A. Ansari. The volume also considers such issues as mapping of space, setting of administrative boundaries, definition of languages, policies towards representation and popular education, and the onset of decolonization.