Archiving the British Raj: History of the Archival Policy of the Government of India, with Selected Documents, 1858-1947
Generally the archives are sites where historians conduct research into our past. Seldom are the archives objects of research. Archiving the Raj traces the path that led to creation of a central archive in India. In examining the archival policy of the colonial government, it proceeds to explore the complex relationship between knowledge and power. While a section of British political authorities favoured accurate archiving of historical events and limited access to records for selected non-official researchers, the overwhelming opinion in official circles was against such access. In the last two decades of colonial rule in India there were anticipations of freedom in many areas of the public sphere, and, in many ways, these were felt in the domain of archiving, chiefly in the form of reversal of earlier policies. From this perspective, the author discusses how the World Wars, the decline of Britain, among other factors, effected a transition from a Euro-centric and disparaging approach to India towards a more liberal and less ethnocentric approach.
1129808457
Archiving the British Raj: History of the Archival Policy of the Government of India, with Selected Documents, 1858-1947
Generally the archives are sites where historians conduct research into our past. Seldom are the archives objects of research. Archiving the Raj traces the path that led to creation of a central archive in India. In examining the archival policy of the colonial government, it proceeds to explore the complex relationship between knowledge and power. While a section of British political authorities favoured accurate archiving of historical events and limited access to records for selected non-official researchers, the overwhelming opinion in official circles was against such access. In the last two decades of colonial rule in India there were anticipations of freedom in many areas of the public sphere, and, in many ways, these were felt in the domain of archiving, chiefly in the form of reversal of earlier policies. From this perspective, the author discusses how the World Wars, the decline of Britain, among other factors, effected a transition from a Euro-centric and disparaging approach to India towards a more liberal and less ethnocentric approach.
47.95 In Stock
Archiving the British Raj: History of the Archival Policy of the Government of India, with Selected Documents, 1858-1947

Archiving the British Raj: History of the Archival Policy of the Government of India, with Selected Documents, 1858-1947

by Sabyasachi Bhattacharya
Archiving the British Raj: History of the Archival Policy of the Government of India, with Selected Documents, 1858-1947

Archiving the British Raj: History of the Archival Policy of the Government of India, with Selected Documents, 1858-1947

by Sabyasachi Bhattacharya

Hardcover

$47.95 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Qualifies for Free Shipping
  • PICK UP IN STORE

    Your local store may have stock of this item.

Related collections and offers


Overview

Generally the archives are sites where historians conduct research into our past. Seldom are the archives objects of research. Archiving the Raj traces the path that led to creation of a central archive in India. In examining the archival policy of the colonial government, it proceeds to explore the complex relationship between knowledge and power. While a section of British political authorities favoured accurate archiving of historical events and limited access to records for selected non-official researchers, the overwhelming opinion in official circles was against such access. In the last two decades of colonial rule in India there were anticipations of freedom in many areas of the public sphere, and, in many ways, these were felt in the domain of archiving, chiefly in the form of reversal of earlier policies. From this perspective, the author discusses how the World Wars, the decline of Britain, among other factors, effected a transition from a Euro-centric and disparaging approach to India towards a more liberal and less ethnocentric approach.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780199489923
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication date: 03/17/2019
Pages: 256
Product dimensions: 8.70(w) x 5.70(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Sabyasachi Bhattacharya is Tagore National Fellow, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He was earlier Vice Chancellor of Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, and Professor at the Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has published several volumes with OUP, India, including The Defining Moments in Bengal, 1920-1947 (2014) and Talking Back: The Idea of Civilization in the Indian Nationalist Discourse (2011). He was awarded the H.K. Barpujari award at Indian History Congress in December 2017.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Pritam SinghIntroduction1. 1858 to 1871: Absence of a Definite Archives Policy2. Developments Leading to the Creation of a Central Archive:1872-18913. The Imperial Record Department: Objectives andAchievements, 1891-19264. Anticipations of Freedom: 1927-1947BibliographyIndexAbout the Author
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews