A History of Colonial India

Book excerpt: This volume brings together interdisciplinary perspectives on British colonial rule in India. It draws on sociology, history, and political science to look at key events and social process, between 1757 to 1947, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the colonial history. It begins with the introductory backdrop of the British East India Company when its ship docked at Surat in 1603 and ends with the partition and independence in 1947. A compelling read, the book explores a range of key themes which include: – Early colonial polity, economic transformation, colonial educational policies, and other initial developments; – The revolt of 1857 and its aftermath; – Colonial subjectivities and ethnographic interventions, colonial capitalism and its insititutions, – Constitutional developments in colonial India; – Early nationalist politics, the rise of Indian National Congress, the role of Gandhi in nationalist politics, and the Quit India movement; – Social movements and gender politics under the colonial rule; – Partition of India and independence. Accessibly written and exhaustive, this volume will be essential reading for students, teachers, scholars, and researchers of political science, history, sociology and literature.