The Idea of India - A Dialogue

A lively discussion between two eminent Indian academics that examines what it means to be an Indian.

Through a stimulating dialogue, two old friends trace the history of the idea of India through digressions, anecdotes, and observations. Historian Romila Thapar and theorist Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak reflect on the challenges posed by essentialism and exclusion whenever cultures attempt to define and assert themselves. They also emphasize the role of education in fostering a more inclusive and accurate understanding of the nation's complex history. Their conversation revolves around the narratives that have shaped Indian identity--from Vedic times to the present--and those whose voices and visions for this land remain unheard and unseen.

Ranging from nationalism to religion and beyond, TheIdea of India discusses an urgent question: What does it mean to be an Indian in contemporary society?

About the author

Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak is university professor in the humanities at Columbia University and the author of many books, including Nationalism and the Imagination, also published by Seagull Books. Spivak was awarded the 2012 Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy and the 2025 Holberg Prize. In 2013, she received the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award.

Product details

• Authors: Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Romila Thapar
• Publisher: Seagull Books London Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 06.08.2024
• EAN: 9781803093840
• ISBN: 978-1-80309-384-0
• No. of pages: 77
• Dimensions: 150 mm x 186 mm x 13 mm
• Weight: 156 g
• Series: History for Peace
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories