Ashis Nandy and Culture-State Relationships
Executive Summary of the Essay:
'Culture, State and the Rediscovery of Indian Politics' by Ashis Nandy
"Bonfire of Creeds (The Essential Ashis Nandy)" eidted by Ashis Nandy,
Oxford University Press, New Delhi,
2004.
Submitted by:
Syed Faisal Rehman
10SPHL 05
M. Phil: Dept of Political Science.
In partial fulfillment of the first internal examination for Advanced Indian Political Process.
Introduction:
The article under review is an approach to understanding politics in India, using culture as a framework to analyse relationships between society (viewed as a broad category to include communities and various groups with distinct cultures) and the state. This article was found in the book "Bonfire of Creeds (The Essential Ashis Nandy)", published in 2004 and edited by Ashis Nandy himself.
Culture, State and the Rediscovery of Indian Politics – Brief Summary.
There can be two ways for a society to understand the realtionship between its culture and the state that they are located in. The first way is to evaluate the means by which culture can be made to contribute to the sustenance and growth of the state. This approach is from the viewpoint of the state itself. The second way is to approach the relationship between cultutre and the state from the standpoint of culture itself.
In the first approach, the key is to look for the means by which culture can be made to contribute to the sustenance and growth of the state. The state here functions according to certain fixed, universal and sociological rules. Cultural values that help strengthen the state are seen as vital to the values of the state and good. On the other hand, cultural values which are seen as disruptive to the effective functioning of a state or hinder its growth are seen as defective. Therefore, a mature society according to this approach, actively eliminates these defective values, to improve the functioning of the state and the quality of the culture.
In the second approach,
'Culture, State and the Rediscovery of Indian Politics' by Ashis Nandy
"Bonfire of Creeds (The Essential Ashis Nandy)" eidted by Ashis Nandy,
Oxford University Press, New Delhi,
2004.
Submitted by:
Syed Faisal Rehman
10SPHL 05
M. Phil: Dept of Political Science.
In partial fulfillment of the first internal examination for Advanced Indian Political Process.
Introduction:
The article under review is an approach to understanding politics in India, using culture as a framework to analyse relationships between society (viewed as a broad category to include communities and various groups with distinct cultures) and the state. This article was found in the book "Bonfire of Creeds (The Essential Ashis Nandy)", published in 2004 and edited by Ashis Nandy himself.
Culture, State and the Rediscovery of Indian Politics – Brief Summary.
There can be two ways for a society to understand the realtionship between its culture and the state that they are located in. The first way is to evaluate the means by which culture can be made to contribute to the sustenance and growth of the state. This approach is from the viewpoint of the state itself. The second way is to approach the relationship between cultutre and the state from the standpoint of culture itself.
In the first approach, the key is to look for the means by which culture can be made to contribute to the sustenance and growth of the state. The state here functions according to certain fixed, universal and sociological rules. Cultural values that help strengthen the state are seen as vital to the values of the state and good. On the other hand, cultural values which are seen as disruptive to the effective functioning of a state or hinder its growth are seen as defective. Therefore, a mature society according to this approach, actively eliminates these defective values, to improve the functioning of the state and the quality of the culture.
In the second approach,