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Historians have for decades used government archives as sources for mapping the past. But increasingly memoirs, family histories, and records of voluntary institutions are being explored to provide insights into people and community, allowing new and unique readings of the lives of previous generations.
This book asks how diverse forms of ‘life history’ can provide evidence for a deeper and wider understanding of the remote passages of time and memory. From the Indian and British graduates of Balliol College, who formed ‘dynasties’ within a hegemonic dominance and contributed to nation building and globalization, to families who left behind many kinds of records to the lives of prominent Indian politicians—the range of this book is breathtaking. Analysing college records, old photographs, and private papers, it chronicles late nineteenth and early twentieth-century facets of the interlocking histories of Britain and South Asia. The volume also explores multiple issues in the history of colonial and independent India, and shows how iconic leaders like Gandhi and Nehru dealt with public and private challenges while creating an Indian nation.
Argumentative and thought provoking, Brown’s perceptive introduction cleverly knits the selections together, and persuades us that ‘life histories’ are a highly significant source and genre of history writing.
ISBN - 9780198072546
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