
Windows Into the Past
Life Histories and the Historian of South Asia
Judith M. Brown(Author)
University of Notre Dame Press
Published on 15. November 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
132 pages
978-0-268-02217-4 (ISBN)
Description
Judith M. Brown, one of the leading historians of South Asia, provides an original and thought-provoking strategy for conducting and presenting historical research in her latest book, ""Windows into the Past"". Brown looks at how varieties of 'life history' that focus on the lives of institutions and families, as well as individuals, offer a broad and rich means of studying history. Her distinctively creative approach differs from traditional historical biography in that it explores a variety of 'life histories' and shows us how they become invaluable windows into the past. Following her introduction, ""The Practice of History"", Brown opens windows on the history of South Asia. She begins with the life history of an educational institution, Balliol College, Oxford, and tracks the interrelationship between Britain and India through the lives of the British and Indian men who were educated there. She then demonstrates the significance of family life history, showing that by observing patterns of family life over several generations, it is possible to gain insight into the experiences of groups of people who rarely left historical documents about themselves, particularly South Asian women. Finally, Brown uses the life history of two prominent individuals, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, to examine questions about the nature of Indian nationalism and the emergent Indian state.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Notre Dame IN
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
5 halftones - 5 Halftones, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 7 mm
Weight
203 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-268-02217-4 (9780268022174)
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Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
11/2009
1st Edition
University of Notre Dame Press
€38.99
Available for download
Person
JUDITH M. BROWN is Beit Professor of Commonwealth History and Professorial Fellow of Balliol College, the University of Oxford. She is the author of Global South Asians: Introducing the Modern Diaspora.