Nation at Play

A History of Sport in India

Nonfiction, History, Asian, India, Sports, Reference
Cover of the book Nation at Play by Ronojoy Sen, Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Ronojoy Sen ISBN: 9780231539937
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: October 27, 2015
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author: Ronojoy Sen
ISBN: 9780231539937
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: October 27, 2015
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

Reaching as far back as ancient times, Ronojoy Sen pairs a novel history of India's engagement with sport and a probing analysis of its cultural and political development under monarchy and colonialism, and as an independent nation. Some sports that originated in India have fallen out of favor, while others, such as cricket, have been adopted and made wholly India's own. Sen's innovative project casts sport less as a natural expression of human competition than as an instructive practice reflecting a unique play with power, morality, aesthetics, identity, and money.

Sen follows the transformation of sport from an elite, kingly pastime to a national obsession tied to colonialism, nationalism, and free market liberalization. He pays special attention to two modern phenomena: the dominance of cricket in the Indian consciousness and the chronic failure of a billion-strong nation to compete successfully in international sporting competitions, such as the Olympics. Innovatively incorporating examples from popular media and other unconventional sources, Sen not only captures the political nature of sport in India but also reveals the patterns of patronage, clientage, and institutionalization that have bound this diverse nation together for centuries.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Reaching as far back as ancient times, Ronojoy Sen pairs a novel history of India's engagement with sport and a probing analysis of its cultural and political development under monarchy and colonialism, and as an independent nation. Some sports that originated in India have fallen out of favor, while others, such as cricket, have been adopted and made wholly India's own. Sen's innovative project casts sport less as a natural expression of human competition than as an instructive practice reflecting a unique play with power, morality, aesthetics, identity, and money.

Sen follows the transformation of sport from an elite, kingly pastime to a national obsession tied to colonialism, nationalism, and free market liberalization. He pays special attention to two modern phenomena: the dominance of cricket in the Indian consciousness and the chronic failure of a billion-strong nation to compete successfully in international sporting competitions, such as the Olympics. Innovatively incorporating examples from popular media and other unconventional sources, Sen not only captures the political nature of sport in India but also reveals the patterns of patronage, clientage, and institutionalization that have bound this diverse nation together for centuries.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book Head, Eyes, Flesh, Blood by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Race Unmasked by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Local Actions by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Drama by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Are the Lips a Grave? by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Triumph of Order by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Blood by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Enforcing the Peace by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Plant Taxonomy by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book The Columbia Guide to the Vietnam War by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Selected Poems of Du Fu by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Picture Imperfect by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book The Playful Crowd by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski by Ronojoy Sen
Cover of the book Triassic Life on Land by Ronojoy Sen
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy