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June 23, 2002
REVIEWS: Communities: an academic view
Despite the somewhat similar titles of these two books, their contents could not be further apart from each other. What is taken as a ‘community’ by a development economist, is something which is very different to what an anthropologist or sociologist means when he uses the word. This difference is also observed in the term ‘social movements’. These days,we tend to use terms, such as ‘community’, ‘identity’, ‘organization’ and a host of others, without actually discussing the genealogy and meaning of the concept, perhaps even without knowing what precisely we are trying to communicate.
The Jodhka volume is distinct for its substantial theoretical and ‘academic’ treatment of terms such as community, nation, identity, etc. It also shows how impoverished Pakistani social scientists from different fields are, in terms of analysis, theorization and conceptualization. Some of them may have done some useful empirical work based on theories and concepts devised by others, but only a few have gone beyond that. This volume by Jodhka, not only for the particular contributions in there, but also by virtue of the numerous references to the work of Indian social scientists, shows their phenomenal contribution.
Of the twelve papers in Community and identities, four excellent pieces theorize different concepts and examine how they have changed over time. The remaining eight papers then look at different case studies and applications from the theory to themes as diverse as caste, class, globalization and minorities including women, all contributing in some way to our better understanding of how all these relate to community and identity.
Worth citing in this collection is Carol Upadhya’s “The concept of community in Indian social science: an anthropological perspective”. She looks at how over time Indian social science, following Partha Chatterjee’s seminal work, has begun to question notions such as ‘the nation’, and the modernity/tradition and caste/class dichotomies. The discussion on the ‘construction of community’ is most interesting where she examines the role of British colonialism in ‘giving’ caste and other identities to Indians.
She writes that “caste as it is now understood was invented by colonial anthropology, institutionalised through the census and other administrative practices, and politicised by the imperatives of collectively-based administrations”. However, it is important to emphasize that she does not think that this identification is merely a colonial plot, but has a far more sophisticated argument on the impact of colonialism on Indian society and communities.
Along with the Introduction by the Editor, the two conceptual articles by Sasheej Hegde (who looks particularly at Partha Chatterjee’s concept and discussion on modernity and his questioning of the ‘nation’) and Ravinder Kaur’s historical review of the concept of community, are highly recommended as they are very stimulating and are an intellectual treat for readers.
The rest of the papers in “Community and identities” look at specific themes in the Indian social condition and examine how communities are formed, interact, and how they address and resolve issues related to identity, themes which are core to the social and political life of modern India. With papers on caste, women, the Indian diaspora, Christians, globalization and other more specific social movements, the collection of papers examines many specific aspects of India.
Given the dismal state of the social sciences in Pakistan, it is improbable that except for the foolhardy social scientist, few potential readers would be interested in reading these papers. This would indeed be unfortunate. However, the reluctant few willing to read this volume, would definitely find the first four chapters of this book thought-provoking. The book might whet their appetite and inspire them to do some useful theoretical and conceptual research as well.
Ghanshyam Shah, now a Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, has brought together a number of interesting texts as part of this fourth “Readings in Indian government and politics”. Unlike the Jodhka volume, this one on social movements contains reprints of articles since as long ago as 1972. The Reader, or Readings, trend in the West, probably a reflection of the fast-food post-modern lifestyles there, has recently been introduced into India as well.
One finds well-established publishing houses putting together (almost always) earlier published articles on a theme — democracy, secularism, decentralisation, to name a few — which are then used primarily by university level teachers and students, with at best, a fresh ‘Introduction’ added on by the editor. This particular volume is part of that same principle.
Perhaps this is why, despite having contributions by many eminent Indian writers, the treatment of the theme does not fare as favourably as the Jodhka volume. There is one paper by Andre Gunder Frank which is largely conceptual, followed by a critique of this paper, and one by Rajni Kothari which analyzes the nature of social and political unrest in India, but this is by far a more applied text than the more erudite Jodhka volume.
The twelve other pieces deal specifically with movements by various social groups on numerous issues, including peasant movements, the Naxalbari struggle, trade unions and labour, dalits, women, the chipko movement and some regional movements, such as that in Assam and Gujarat and Bihar.
Clearly, such a book would find a receptive audience amongst students who are looking specifically at social movements in India, but perhaps not elsewhere unless they were doing a comparative study. The book’s use and limitations are bound around this specificity.
Little common ground can be found between these two texts, yet some readers with an interest in theory, in the Indian social condition and responses to it, might actually want to read and benefit from both. Whether individually or collectively, there is substantial choice suited to each particular type of interest.
Community and identity: contemporary discourses on culture and politics in India
Edited by Surinder S. Jodhka
Sage Publications, M 32 Market, Greater Kailash 1, New Delhi-110 048.
Email: marketing@indiasage.com
ISBN 0-7619-9542-0
269pp. Indian Rs390
Social movements and the state: readings in Indian government and politics
Edited by Ghanshyam Shah
Sage Publications, M 32 Market, Greater Kailash 1, New Delhi-110 048.
Email: marketing@indiasage.com
ISBN 0-7619-9514-5
475pp. Indian Rs325
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