The nation, the state, and Indian identity

Reflecting on the pressuring moral crisis of secularism, this book suggests that the focus should be on identity, which will help us to tackle the violent, divisive strands of our society. The contributors analyse Partition, medieval history textbooks and the nineteenth century debate on the nation and identity to search for answers. The Uniform Civil Code controversy, the impact of communalism on gender issues, trade unions and communalism, the politics of violent confrontation in the Northeast and in Kashmir are discussed cogently. An unusual aspect of the book is its orality; these essays were first presented in discussions, and the comments of many participants have been included to give us further insight.