Bøker av Benjamin Zachariah

Historical thinking has a politics that shapes its ends. While at least two generations of scholars have been guided into their working lives with this axiom as central to their profession, it is somewhat of a paradox that historiography is so often nowadays seen as a matter of intellectual choices operating outside the imperatives of quotidian politics, even if the higher realms of ideological inclinations or historiographical traditions can be seen to have played a role. The politics of historical thinking, if acknowledged at all, is seen to belong to the realms of nonprofessional ways of the instrumentalisation of the past. This series seeks to centre the politics inherent in historical thinking, professional and non-professional, promoted by states, political organisations, ¿nationalities¿ or interest groups, and to explore the links between political (re-)education, historiography and mobilisation or (sectarian?) identity formation. We hope to bring into focus the politics inherent in historical thinking, professional, public or amateur, across the world today. Advisory Board: Caroline Arni, University of Basel Amar Baadj, American University Cairo Berber Bevernage, University of Ghent Federico Finchelstein, New School for Social Research, New York Kavita Philip, University of California Irvine Ilaria Porciani, University of British Columbia Dhruv Raina, Jawaharlal Nehru University Jakob Tanner, University of Zürich

This volume examines the tension between the ¿nation¿ idea as a necessary language of legitimacy with which to claim liberation, and its role in disciplining people and their identities in India, in the name of national liberation. It is an attempt to open up new lines of thinking, and ways of reading Indian history.

This series seeks to focus on the politics inherent in historical thinking, professional and non-professional, promoted by states, political organisations, 'nationalities' or interest groups, and to explore the links between political (re-)education, historiography and mobilisation or identity formation.

This title aims to answer such questions as how did Jawaharlal Nehru come to lead the Indian nationalist movement, and how did he sustain his leadership as the first Prime Minister of independent India?