Texts Of Power : Emerging Disciplines in Colonial Bengal Paperback / softback

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. Contributors: Pradip Kumar Bose, Keya Dasgupta, Tapati Guha-Thakurta, all at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta; Tapti Roy, Maharani Kashiswari College, Calcutta; Ranabir Samaddar, Maulana Azad Institute of Asian Studies.