Communal Identity In India
Its Construction and Articulation in the Twentieth Century
Edited by Bidyut Chakrabarty
New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2003
Pages: 325, Price: Rs 545
Intellectuals, community leaders and the political class of every society have to grapple with contentious issues concerning group identity. Since every society has multiple socio-cultures, socio-religious, and ethno-linguistic groups, the problem of their peaceful co-existence cannot be taken for granted. On the contrary, it is also possible that societies with multiple group identities are perpetually engaged in co-destruction and ethnic cleansing. This is precisely the situation in India where competing community or (communal) identities have become a major source of social violence and antagonisms. In that context, this edited volume is timely and deserves serious response.
Twentieth-century India witnessed a powerful triangular conflict among three forces
