Language as Identity in Colonial India: Policies and Politics

Description

This book is a systematic narrative, tracking the colonial language policies and acts responsible for the creation of a sense of “self-identity” and culminating in the evolution of nationalistic fervor in colonial India. British policy on language for administrative use and as a weapon to rule led to the parallel development of Indian vernaculars: poets, novelists, writers and journalists produced great and fascinating work that conditioned and directed India's path to independence. The book presents a theoretical proposition arguing that language as identity is a colonial construct in India, and demonstrates this by tracing the events, policies and changes that led to the development and churning up of Indian national sentiments and attitudes. It is a testimony of India's linguistic journey from a British colony to a modern state. Demonstrating that language as basis of identity was a colonial construct in modern India, the book asserts that any in-depth understanding of identity and politics in contemporary India remains incomplete without looking at colonial policies on language and education, from which the multiple discourses on “self” and belonging in modern India emanated. Front Matter ....Pages i-xxi Theoretical Developments: Linking Language to Identity (Papia Sengupta)....Pages 1-16 The Language Situation in Colonial India: Story of Bengal (Papia Sengupta)....Pages 17-35 Making Identity Out of Language: Beyond Bengal (Papia Sengupta)....Pages 37-52 Building Identity: Information, Intellect and Inspiration (Papia Sengupta)....Pages 53-79 Construction of Plural Selves in India (Papia Sengupta)....Pages 81-101 Language Conundrum (Papia Sengupta)....Pages 103-112 Back Matter ....Pages 113-120