War and Society in Colonial India

This volume examines the complex dialectics between warfare, the British-Indian war machine, and colonial society by focusing on coercion, discipline, and dissent in the sepoy armies as well as the military cultures, symbols, and martial constructs introduced by the British.

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The volume examines the complex dialectics between warfare, the British-Indian war machine, and colonial society. It explores the social and cultural dimensions of colonialism and also assesses the nature of the colonial state. Spatially and temporally, it covers a wide canvas. The essays are arranged chrono-logically within broad thematic heads. The first segment 3deals with coercion, discipline, and dissent in the sepoy armies while reopening the significant debate on whether sepoys were mercenaries or professional army men. The next part discusses the military cultures, symbols, and martial constructs introduced by the British. The concluding section investigates the torturous transition of the colonial army and state from waging limited warfare to large-scale industrial warfare. The paperback edition contains a new introduction which takes the discussion further.
Part of the prestigious Themes in Indian History series, this book will interest students, scholars, and researchers of colonial history, politics, and defence studies, particularly those concerned with the linkages between state, war and society.