Description

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.

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

"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

Product Details

248 pages; 16 halftones, 3 maps; 6-1/8 x 9-1/4; ISBN13: 978-0-19-518915-5ISBN10: 0-19-518915-9

About the Author(s)