Beyond Hindu and Muslim: Multiple Identity in Narratives from Village India

by Peter Gottschalk, Wendy Doniger

Overview

Questioning the conventional depiction of India as a nation divided between religious communities, Gottschalk shows that individuals living in India have multiple identities, some of which cut across religious boundaries. The stories narrated by villagers living in the northern state of Bihar depict everyday social interactions that transcend the simple divide of Hindu and Muslim.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195189155
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	10/27/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	0.10(w) x 0.10(h) x 0.10(d)
Lexile:	1470L (what's this?)

About the Author

Wesleyan University

University of Chicago

Editorial Reviews

"In South Asia's current climate, in which forces of religious revivalism have taken violent turns, it is more than ever necessary to understand how Indians' multiple identities actually work. Gottschalk's carefully researched monograph provides an excellent starting point; it deserves a wide readership." — The Journal of Religion

"A remarkable book which greatly expands our knowledge of the processes which went into making British representations of India. It is a formidable achievement." —The Times Literary Supplement

"The book offers a deep and meticulous ethnography of persons talking about who they are—in relation to a particular place or set of places, situated both in time and space. This book achieves a rare balance between accessibility and richness." —Journal of the American Oriental Society

From the Publisher